Four Stars
by Al Kristopher
Summary: The heavens smile, the curtain rises, and four unlikely individuals are brought together. Their destinies intertwine, creating a powerful bond that not even Fate could break. They are Tenchi, Ayeka, Ryoko, and Nagi, and this is their story.
1. No Need for Peace!

Author's note: All the Tenchi stuff belongs to somebody who is not me, so there. With that out of the way, this is going to be my third, and perhaps final, Tenchi-related story. My first was a fairly-intricate look at Nagi and her possible past, and the second concentrated on the relationship between a certain princess and pirate. Believe it or not, these two tales are connected, though I won't say how so as to not give away anything. This third tale is also connected to the other two, but I'm going to try to make it so that reading the first two isn't a prerequisite. If you already read my other two Tenchi stories, you'll probably know what's going on a whole lot more than the others, and if you didn't… well, you'll still have the advantage of being surprised. To old fans, this tale picks up pretty much where my last one left off, at the alternate ending, and for all you newcomers, be prepared to take many things with a grain of salt.

****

FOUR STARS

By Al Kristopher

I: No Need for Peace!

It was a Monday. The sun said so.

Said orb of fire was already up and awake, but the rest of the world did not share its bright enthusiasm. There were still thousands of people asleep in their beds, and many of them would remain so even as the light of the world rose up to its highest peak. Of course, many more had been up and about even before the sun, and were already making the most of the day given to them.

But most of the world was asleep, and with very few exceptions, so were the residents of House Masaki. To be certain, one or two individuals were already up, considering that the hour was not too early, but for the rest of the house, it was still time for bed (for one or two residents, it was _always_ time for bed). Two people in particular were asleep, and both were in the same bed--but not because the house was small and cramped, no. They shared sleeping quarters together out of _choice._

One of them stirred as the sun hit her eye, and she squinted to try and shield her retinas from the glare. The bright yellow ball of fire reminded this girl of her sister: always sunny (no pun intended), and cheerful, and on occasion annoying, and seemingly omnipresent during daylight hours. Then again, the sun never sang out loud, and it knew nothing about cooking…

This young woman turned around in her bed, and gently bumped into the lady whom she was bunking with. This other woman had no family--at least, none that anybody was aware of--and up until recent times, she had not been a very well-respected member of the Masaki Home. It was true that she was loved, and on occasion she loved back, but to respect somebody and to love somebody were often two separate feelings.

This woman, and the woman laying in bed next to her, were both very beautiful and quite warm-hearted. It was shocking how similar both these ladies were, especially when considering the fact that they had once been the bitterest of enemies. Of course, like all people do, they changed over the years, and gradually, like a whittler carves wood, they had shed their hatred for each other and turned it into love.

The woman who had stirred first was the eldest princess of a planet far beyond the reach of the one she lived on now. She ruled over Jurai, a planet existing only in the imaginations of some, and the realities of only a select few billion. Her name was Ayeka, and since she was a princess, one would be led to believe that she was incredibly snotty and pushy and vain--and at one point, she _had_ been.

Never again.

The other woman was both very different and very similar to the woman who had stirred first. _Her_ name was Ryoko, and nobody knew anything else about her, save for the fact that she had once been a space pirate, as well as the mortal enemy of the princess beside her. Obviously, all that had changed over the years--otherwise, the two would have been on opposite sides of the galaxy instead of sleeping together.

It had been a long and winding road for both Ayeka and Ryoko. They had started this journey hating each other, and though the end was not anywhere close by, they now walked side-by-side, and sometimes hand-in-hand. They had slowly grown from hate to endurance, from respect to admiration, from caring to trust, and from friendship into love. They were now closer than most sisters, and both loved and trusted each other to the brink of inhuman imagination. They were not lovers--they had tried that path once and found it covered with thorns--no, they loved but were not in love, but the bond they shared was better somehow: unbreakable, unshakable, and unquestioned.

The ordeals they went through to get to this point had paid off.

Ayeka yawned first, stretching herself just enough so that she wouldn't touch her sleeping friend. She smacked her lips, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as the sun screamed for her to wake up. The princess gazed down at one of the many people who were especially close to her, and smiled. Her hand went for the beautiful turquoise-blue hair that Ryoko had, and she began stroking it with the greatest of care.

A long inhaling sound came from Ryoko, and the one-time space pirate stirred as she too heard the song of the sun. Her golden eyes opened very slowly, and even though her vision was blurry, she smiled as she saw her closest friend comb through her hair.

"Morning, sunshine," whispered Ayeka gently, and of course, since the sun was hitting Ryoko on the cheek, she meant it. The ex-pirate smiled and gave her friend a wink.

"Morning, ugly." Ayeka laughed out loud, and bent down to give her friend a tight hug. Insults like that would have usually caused the princess to scream out, but in the years they spent sharpening their relationship, Ayeka knew to interpret any and all insults as a bizarre but endearing expression of Ryoko's love.

(Translation: Morning, my most wonderful and precious friend.)

"Same old Ryoko," smiled Ayeka as she squeezed her friend. "Sleeping in and abusing poor helpless me. Ah well, I guess I shouldn't complain. All the therapy in the world wouldn't change you." Ryoko smiled back in that came Cheshire Cat grin, and popped a few loose joints as she stretched. Both ladies eventually forced themselves out of bed, and played a brief game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would shower first. Ryoko won.

After both of them took their shower, they each marched down the stairs, their elbows locked together like a pair of young lovers--or in their case, just two crazy ladies who had become good friends over time. They simultaneously poked their heads into the kitchen, both of them victims of the Siren's call that was Sasami's Cooking. The fact that it was _lunch_ she made and not breakfast perturbed them not; they were both hungry enough to eat the table that the food was being served on, and they almost did.

Plates of macaroni, rice, potato salad, grilled salmon, and apple slices landed neatly on the table, and while there were more people living in the house than there were fingers to a human's hands, most of the food seemed reserved for Ayeka and Ryoko. On a usual occasion, they would not be so greedy as to take all the edibles in front of them, but they were excused just this once. After all, they had been on that journey towards friendship for some time.

Amidst the ravenous feeding frenzy, everyone else more or less picked and poked at their meager servings. The eldest among them, a Shinto priest called Katsuhito, required very little to eat, as did the adorable little creature perched on the chef's head (she just ate carrots). Two log-like guardians, each with a symbol on their bodies, ate next to nothing, so perhaps in a way, everything was balanced.

But Mihoshi was still hungry.

"No fair!" she whined. "Ayeka and Ryoko get to eat all the food! I'm _starving!_"

"You'll just have to bite the bullet," said her partner in crime [prevention] calmly. "I think after what they've been through, they deserve a little more attention."

"But Kiyone…!!"

"Please… no whining…" sighed the beleaguered police officer. Her eyes were already twitching in preparation for the day's disasters, and with the normally-destructive duo of Ayeka and Ryoko now on good terms, there would be a great void to fill up. To compensate, a small chuckle came out of the mouth of the most intelligent one among them, and things suddenly grew interesting as the self-proclaimed Universe's Greatest Genius got an idea.

"I just thought of something," muttered said Genius to herself, and everybody grew nervous. The genius' name was Washu, and if she ever got an idea, it usually meant that the Masakis would have to use the old bomb shelter again.

"Pray tell us," muttered a very uninterested Kiyone. Washu did just that.

"All righty! Now it's obvious that both Ryoko and Ayeka are no longer the enemies they once were, correct?" No response. "…Right. Anyway, they're both pretty close. And it seems as if they're even civil when it comes to Tenchi, God forbid we ever see the day. Well, my suggestion is--"

"Save it, Washu," muttered Ryoko, a ball of rice held delicately in her chopsticks. "We can talk about it later. Let's just eat, okay?" Ryoko resumed snarfing down her food, leaving the fiery-haired genius to shake her head.

"Same old Ryoko…"

When the world is above you and the skies are below, it's probably because you're upside-down. Ryoko was in this very position--or, to be exact, she was hanging by the branch of a tree, watching the road in front of her. Ayeka might have joined her, but Ryoko insisted that she not get her legs scratched, or her kimono dirtied, and Ayeka let out a smile as she obeyed her concerned friend. Besides, _somebody_ had to be right-side up.

Both girls were waiting for the same young man, Tenchi Masaki. In days long gone by, the girls were not only bitter enemies but bitter rivals. They had both vied over the same unfortunate man, and had nearly killed each other multiple times over him. They both had very good arguments for being his wife--Ayeka the sensible, strong, and sophisticated; Ryoko the carefree, noble, and spontaneous--and many of their former distastes for each other had often sprang up from arguing over rights to Tenchi.

But now that they were friends, they had both decided to not waste such a good relationship arguing all the time. Ayeka had given Ryoko the brilliant suggestion that they _both_ marry Tenchi (when the time came), and Ryoko liked the idea so much that she squealed just like a schoolgirl. Since her suggestion went up in the air, both girls made it plain that they loved Tenchi (or actually, Ayeka had. Ryoko had been quite open with her feelings ever since day one), and now here they were waiting for him.

Their patience paid off, and soon Tenchi could be seen walking down the path. Ryoko grunted and nearly fell out of the tree as she saw the man who had stolen her heart (Ayeka would have caught her if she hadn't caught herself), and Ayeka nearly screamed with rapture. It was usually Ryoko who ran (or flew) forth to tackle Tenchi, but this time Ayeka's new aggressive behavior got the better of her--and Tenchi.

"Tenchi!!!" The violet-haired princess threw herself at the poor man, who gave off that same reliable meek smile he always did. Ayeka was not normally so open with her feelings, and to see her act like this was very bizarre. Ryoko, however, ate it all up. She knew there was a sexual goddess buried deep down inside Ayeka somewhere, and being the caring friend she was, wanted this to come out to full bloom.

"Oh, uh, good afternoon, Miss Ayeka…" said Tenchi weakly. Ayeka calmed down to her usual self, and gave him a very uncharacteristic kiss on the cheek. Ryoko mutely grinned at the scene, and decided to wait until a better time before tackling Tenchi herself.

"Lord Tenchi, we have missed you. How was school today?" asked the princess. Tenchi smiled despite his awkwardness of being called "Lord", and gave Ayeka his usual report.

"Oh, it was all right. Same old same old, y'know?" Ayeka smiled and nodded her head. Up until very recently, she had never before let her feelings of Tenchi be so public, but she had grown and matured while on her journey, and she was now much more open about things. Ayeka had to admit that it felt very liberating.

"That's good. I'm glad that everything is right." Ayeka's beaming face and growing friendliness gave off signals to Ryoko--signals that _now_ was the time to leap in and "save" Tenchi from the advances of her friend. With a yell, she leaped forward and pounced on Tenchi, nearly breaking his neck with her hug.

"Tenchi!!!!! I missed yoo!!!!" Ryoko sang out like a little baby as she rubbed her nose against his face, and as usual, Tenchi yelled and told her to go easy on her. Even though she loved Ryoko to death, Ayeka still grew angry at her friend's actions--not because she was jealous, but because Tenchi really _didn't_ like being treated so rough. She knew that Ryoko's playful nature was just that--playful--but like the annoying actions of a three-year-old, it wore off quickly.

"Ryoko…" Ayeka pulled on her friend's arm gently, and chastised her just a little. "Please, dear, don't manhandle poor Tenchi. Isn't it obvious that he doesn't like such forms of affection?"

"Uh, well, I…"

"And another thing," continued Ayeka, ignoring Tenchi's unfinished comment. "I really wish you would exert some self-control. Ryoko, I love you to death, and I envy your ability to be so open and wild, but even you should know that there's a time and place for everything."

"Meanie," grumbled Ryoko, sticking her tongue out. Ayeka smartly pinched the muscular organ, and pulled on it just slightly.

"You creep!" she exclaimed. Ryoko's toothy grin grew more, and she snapped at Ayeka's fingers. The princess screamed, and began to gently pound her fist on Ryoko's head.

"You monster!" she screamed. "You tried to bite me!!"

"Ow, hey, what's the deal?" whined Ryoko. "You bite me all the time while we're making love!"

"WE DON'T HAVE SEX, YOU FIEND!!!!" roared Ayeka. Tenchi, as always, had been completely ignored by now. He merely kept silent, and tried to sneak away from the two quarreling girls. He now knew that they were friends, and would always be such, but even their friendly arguments were too much for him.

By the time Tenchi stepped into his home, the girls were wrestling on the ground and laughing like nuts. It was true that they still argued from time to time, but almost all of these "fights" were friendly and harmless. Should they ever have a real argument, they would most definitely approach it with maturity and logic, and not with the name-calling and fights that normally marked their battles.

The girls at long last realized that Tenchi had left them, so after literally kissing and making up (they were close enough to be comfortable in doing this), they both ran towards the Masaki house and burst in to see their love. As expected, he was chatting with Sasami.

"Oh, did you two finally stop fighting?" he asked as he noticed them. Both friends gave Tenchi a weak smile and laugh, and silently affirmed the fact that they were at peace again. Both ladies sat down next to their love, and took one of his arms. Tenchi sighed, and realized that there was no point in stopping the girls from their actions. It was better to have his arms embraced than being ripped off, after all…


	2. No Need for a Date!

II: No Need for a Date!

_You'll know where to find me._

Those words quietly vibrated in Ryoko's mind as she hugged her knees close to her chest. She had not been able to get them out of her head, even though it really hadn't been that long of a time since she heard them. At first the former space pirate tried to wave the words off, or to ignore them, but like an annoying song that continued to play over and over again, the words would not die.

Ryoko clearly recalled her most recent encounter with Nagi. Nagi was, by all terms, a ruthless bounty hunter who hated Ryoko with a passion, and who in turn was hated by Ryoko with a passion. The two of them made terrible friends, but spectacular enemies; they lived to see the other one dead. In fact, except for a few very special occasions, Nagi had never been friendly to Ryoko, nor Ryoko to Nagi.

And… even during those times… they were still enemies deep down inside… But, circumstances had forced them together, and although they held a brittle alliance during those brief times, it had broken almost the second all problems were over. Their first pseudo-friendship was during the reign of the false Yosho, who had actually been Kagato. The alliance was quick, and Nagi had been in cold pursuit of the pirate ever since. She only caught up with her two more times after that.

Once… well, both of those times might have classified as "friendly visits", because neither one of them ended up being terrible. Sure, the first time through, Ryoko had been horribly tortured, and the second time was no quiet day either, but even these circumstances could not prevent the two opposing forces from burying hatchets and agreeing, however temporary it was.

The last time Ryoko saw Nagi was probably the most they had ever really gotten along. The bounty hunter had not even intended to hunt down Ryoko; it was more of a rescue mission, one of which Nagi had been paid very well by Ayeka. It was during this rescue mission that Ayeka publicly pardoned Ryoko of any and all crimes she had committed in the past (they had become close long before the mission), and needless to say, Nagi was rightfully enraged. To have the object of one's feverish pursuits suddenly excused for all wrongdoings was about as horrible as a universally-renowned singer suddenly going mute.

And if that weren't enough, to demonstrate her power fully, Ayeka even had the cheek to pardon Ryoko of any _future_ crimes, which _really_ got Nagi steamed. This basically made Ryoko a free citizen, exempt from any and all punishment or accountability, on behalf of Jurai law, so one can only imagine Nagi's rage.

Ryoko wept for joy when she heard the news, though.

The rescue mission had been successful, obviously. Nagi collected her fee and prepared to leave, now no longer permitted to chase after Ryoko, and free to live her life as she saw fit. Nobody knew it, but the entire reason that Nagi actually became a bounty hunter was that so she could one day capture or kill Ryoko, and settle an ancient score that the two had. With the space pirate pardoned, Nagi was suddenly out of work, leaving her little option but to retire quietly.

Before she left, however, Nagi had one more duty to perform. Ryoko could easily remember this last meeting--she remembered it to the very detail. The fact that it had only happened a week ago didn't matter; it would remain fresh in the pirate's mind for all eternity…

"Oh, almost forgot…" Silently, the bounty hunter approached Ryoko. The ex-pirate blinked in confusion as her rival stared straight into her golden eyes, and grew even more nervous as Nagi inched her face closer to Ryoko's. Her mouth found the ex-pirate's ear, and Nagi silently began whispering something that only the pirate could hear.

After a minute or two of silent whispering, Nagi smiled emptily, patted Ryoko's shoulder, and resumed her exit.

"…And what's that supposed to mean?!" blurted Ryoko. Nagi continued walking, until she had climbed up Ken-ohki's hatch. As the doorway closed on her, Nagi grinned back at Ryoko.

"If you want to find out," she said, "you'll know where to look for me. Until then, my friend." And with those final two enigmatic words, Nagi disappeared into the bowels of Ken-ohki, and within minutes her vessel was beyond sight.

At the time, Ryoko didn't have any idea what Nagi had meant when she whispered that, nor even when she said "_you'll know where to look for me_". At first, Ryoko had dismissed it as just some crazy psychobabble from a retired bounty hunter, but the events of that final meeting kept playing over and over again, gnawing hungrily at Ryoko's mind. Nagi had never been a simple woman, but this had been going a little far.

"That woman…" murmured Ryoko to herself. She didn't find it amusing that her thoughts had wandered to Nagi; this last encounter they had had been stuck in Ryoko's mind the whole week. Not even Ayeka, not even Tenchi, could have distracted her from these thoughts, which was probably what Nagi had wanted all along.

_Curiosity killed the cat,_ thought Ryoko grimly, and never was a proverb more true. Perhaps Nagi had acted out that little scene on purpose, and intended to draw Ryoko into a trap, wherein she could dispose of the reformed lady in the most wicked fashion. Then again, Ryoko's absence would make more than one person concerned, and then Nagi would have all of House Masaki, and maybe even the Jurai Armada after her. No, it probably wasn't a trap… Nagi wasn't stupid.

"I wonder what she meant?" said Ryoko again. Her only audience member was the moon. Normally, she would have somebody else there to talk with, preferably Tenchi or Ayeka, but tonight she was alone. She didn't mind in the least--after all, the two people closest to her were on their very first date together. A loving, caring, and cunning Ryoko had convinced her two loved ones to go out and have fun, leaving her alone to think.

She no longer had a problem with Ayeka and Tenchi dating. She trusted both of them very much, and if Tenchi decided to choose Ayeka and _only_ Ayeka…… Ryoko wouldn't have a problem. She was especially close to the princess, after all, and although a slight stab of jealousy would cut at her, she would love and support her two friends with all her heart. She had learned that love, no matter what form it took, was always better than jealousy. Always.

Besides, _she_ planned on dating Tenchi too, as soon as this business with Nagi was settled…

----------

It was a soft late-summer evening when Tenchi and Ayeka went on their date, and there were more clichés out than stars. The moon was full and beautiful, the wind was soft and gentle, the air was cool and full of love, frogs sang, crickets played chirping melodies, the stars above were glowing… It would have been funny if it weren't so romantic.

Tenchi and Ayeka took Ryoko's goading with a few grains of salt. By this time, Tenchi had figured out that the two were best friends for life, and while he was glad they would no longer argue so violently, or have the occasional rivalry, he still had lots to get used to. Having Ryoko, a prime candidate for his affections, _insist_ that he go out and have a good time with Ayeka, was a strange concept to grasp. Tenchi went along with the idea, and Ayeka accepted without hesitation, and here they were.

Tenchi Masaki was, surprisingly, a stranger to the dating scene. Despite the number of women that were hounding him, he was actually a very shy and awkward person when it came to romance. He had a lot of love in his heart, but when it came down to actually being with a girl, he preferred taking things nice and slow… which probably explained his attitude towards Ryoko's advances. It was true that he liked her, but her zealousness didn't match up to what he was looking for at the moment.

Under any other circumstance, Ayeka would have been gloating for eternity, but instead she was just happy and thankful for Ryoko's generosity. She truly did love the rambunctious space pirate, just as Ryoko loved her, and would have done almost anything to see the woman happy. Ryoko had already done so much for her that it was impossible to _not_ want to repay the debt. Of course, since she _wanted_ to have the date, both women easily saw eye-to-eye.

"You'll have to excuse her," said Ayeka out of the blue, and despite the suddenness of the words, Tenchi knew exactly who the princess was referring to. "She means well, you know."

"Yeah…" Tenchi let out a smile and placed his hands behind his head. "I'm still a little surprised to hear Ryoko asking me to go out on a date with you. I guess I'm just used to the old Ryoko." Ayeka smiled, and even though she was the pirate's best (and sometimes only) friend, she couldn't disagree.

"We all are," she said. "But… give her time. She really has changed, and so have I." The two of them smiled at each other, and silence took over as they continued to walk. Since Tenchi was inexperienced in the dating arena, he had first asked Ayeka if there was anything special she wanted to do while on their date. Being a princess whose tastes were rich and exclusive, Ayeka instead opted to just have a nice long walk through the woods.

As they walked, and talked on occasion, it struck Ayeka that, aside from lineage, she and Tenchi were very much alike. They were both very thoughtful people, and very reliable, and usually honest and sincere (though even Tenchi slipped from time to time). They both had amazingly huge hearts, and held a kindness towards all individuals (Ayeka had previously lacked a few of these qualities, but time had drawn them all out), and were both exceptionally attractive to the other gender. Neither spoke much during the date, not that they needed to, and in the time they spent, they slowly grew to like each other very much.

Tenchi and Ayeka took a brief rest on a bench, halfway through their date already. It was a school night, so Tenchi was expected to be back by 11:30 at the latest. They still had an hour to go, and they had been walking and talking for fifty minutes, so they could make it back if they hurried. For now, though, they rested, and gazed up at the bright stars scattered above them.

They smiled.

"Beautiful," whispered Ayeka. Tenchi nodded his head.

"Yeah… they're really gorgeous." Ayeka's smile inched a little more as she heard this. _I was referring to you,_ she said mentally. The princess suddenly suppressed a yawn, then argued that she was not tired, just slightly restless.

"Well, what would you like to do now?" asked Tenchi. "We still have plenty of time left. You wanna get something to eat?"

"No, I already had a sufficient dinner," replied the princess. "But thank you anyway." The young man silently nodded his head, then placed it back to a position where he could see the stars best. There must have been a million out there…

"Lord Tenchi…?"

"Yes, Lady Ayeka?" She smiled. They were already starting to sound like a royal couple.

"Why do you think Ryoko went to so much trouble to see us go out together?" Tenchi coughed out a single, short laugh as the question was thrown at him, and took a few seconds to really think about it. He had wondered about that himself--why Ryoko, who was head-over-heels in love with Tenchi, would conspire to hook up a former nemesis up with the man who had her heart. It didn't make sense, even _if_ he factored in the notion that they were both close friends. Something was amiss.

"I honestly don't know," he said after giving it some thought. "I think it's strange, don't you? I mean, no offense on her part, but I thought she'd try and _prevent_ this."

"Indeed," said Ayeka with a restrained smile. "It really doesn't make sense. I guess we could question her about it when we get back." Tenchi nodded his head, and out of bad habit, checked his watch. He knew that subtle actions like that made a woman peeved, but years of sitting through boring classes had hammered the habit into his mind. Ayeka thought nothing of it, though.

"…Well, it's getting late," said Tenchi as he noticed the time. "If we hurry, I guess we can make it back home in time for curfew. Are you ready to go back?" Ayeka silently nodded her head, and like a true gentleman, Tenchi helped her up. He smiled weakly as he realized that their hands were touching, as did the princess, and both of them shared a laugh.

"I guess we're permitted to hold hands," said a slightly-nervous Tenchi (he knew that approaching this sort of thing was extremely delicate). Ayeka, who secretly thought Tenchi's apprehension was sweet, blushed just barely and "permitted him" to hold her hand as they made their way through the forest again and back to the house.

They made it, just barely. Tenchi and Ayeka had to run a little, and they were slightly out of breath and sweating, but they had made it with three minutes to spare. They still held hands, and had done so ever since their time spent on the bench. It would have been a funny sight to see them run through the woods with their hands still clasped, and most residents of House Masaki would have paid to see such humor, but thankfully (or regrettably), there had been no witnesses to the event.

Ryoko was still deep in thought by the time her two loved ones came back. With a cool smile and a cooler demeanor, she levitated down from the roof and greeted both people with a smile.

"Hi!" she squealed. "So, did you two lovebirds have a good time?"

"Ryoko…"

"No, I'm serious!" said a truthful Ryoko. "I wanna know how it went! So Tenchi, did you have a good time?"

"…Actually, yes," he said. Ryoko grinned as her cheeks began to glow. The poor dear sweet space pirate would have been happy even if Ayeka was still an enemy, but now she was positively giddy. She had changed _that_ much.

"Ahhhh," she sang. "So what'd you do?"

"We just went through a walk in the forest, and we talked some," answered Tenchi. Ryoko's smiling face faded significantly.

"Hmph, sounds boring. Well, I guess I don't have much of a precedent to beat, then. C'mon, really! What'd you do? Did you hold hands?"

"Yes, Ryoko," sighed Ayeka. The princess, though she loved Ryoko quite a bit, was growing quite irritated at the onslaught of questions. She didn't mind Ryoko's playfulness, but sometimes even soulmates must say when enough is enough.

"Oooooh!" squealed Ryoko. "Maybe I _do_ have something to compete against!" Tenchi, who only had a faint idea about what the girls were talking about, had already opened his mouth to ask, but was interrupted as always.

"Uh…"

"There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition," said Ayeka to nobody in general. Ryoko nodded her head in agreement, and even Tenchi couldn't argue.

"Right, right. So, didja kiss him?"

"Ryoko!!"

"Just asking!" chuckled the feisty woman. "Jeez! I just wanna know how far you two went so I have something to go for. If I wanna show Tenchi a good time, then I'm gonna outdo you, highness!!" Ryoko had her hands on her hips in her usual classy-sassy form, and her face was glowing like a lamp. Ayeka could not hide her smile either, though she had considerably more class than sass.

"Well, I hope you try your best," said the more sophisticated woman, and even Tenchi could detect the subtle indications stuffed into the sentence. Ryoko pretended to not get the gist of what Ayeka secretly conveyed, and nodded her head.

"Yeah… but hey, you never answered my question! Did you two kiss or not?"

"No," stated Ayeka firmly, "we did not." Ryoko instantly pouted, and her eyes grew angry.

"No? Well then, stealing Tenchi's heart is gonna be too easy!"

"Ahem!" spat Ayeka, holding up her hand. "…I'm not finished!" The confused looks on both Tenchi's and Ryoko's faces were enough to convince her to elaborate. "…That is to say, we have not kissed as of _yet._" Ryoko raised her eyebrow in genuine puzzlement, but Tenchi knew what she meant. He pursed his lips anxiously, and before he knew it, Ayeka's silky-soft hands were holding his face and the princess' lips were planted firmly on his own.

Ryoko, surprisingly, grinned.

"…Oh!" whispered Ayeka as she broke the kiss. Both young ones had faces flushed with giddiness, and not even Tenchi could hold his smile (Ryoko was grinning like she had just drank all the sake in Japan). The single sentiment expressed by the princess assured Ryoko that she now had a steady, yet friendly rivalry with the princess.

"…That was amazing!" whispered Ayeka. Tenchi silently nodded his head.

"…Uh… yeah…" He smiled faintly, his chocolate-brown eyes gazing right into Ayeka's ruby orbs, and the two shared a smile that would have lasted for hours had Nobuyuki not called Tenchi inside. The young man hastily wished his date and Ryoko good night, and made a quick guarantee to "do it again sometime" before running into the house.

Ayeka smiled dreamily, and even let out a lovesick sigh.

"Yeah, I know," said Ryoko, placing her hands behind her head. "He's a magnificent kisser, not like you."

"Do shut up," said a still-enraptured Ayeka. Ryoko smiled warmly and gave her closest friend a gentle shove.

"It's true," she said. "I dunno if Tenchi enjoyed it or not, but--" Ayeka suddenly turned around, the dreamy look in her eyes long gone as she glared at her friend. Her hands slowly went to Ryoko's face, and the princess' ruby eyes bored into Ryoko's golden ones. For all the ex-pirate knew, it was going to be _deja vous_, except _she_ would be the hapless victim this time.

Thankfully, she only got kissed by silence.

"You are a wicked woman, Ryoko," said Ayeka gently, and the pirate couldn't help but smile. (Translation: Even though you act so wild, I still love you.) Ayeka grinned too, and suddenly pulled the ex-pirate close for a pretend smooch.

"Ack, hey!!" Ryoko sputtered and pushed Ayeka away, glaring dangerously. "Ayeka, jeez!! Don't even joke about that!"

"And I suppose you're the only one who is allowed to tease other people?" replied the princess coolly. Ryoko opened her mouth to retort, but froze as she found her supply of snappy comebacks dry. She sighed in exasperation, shook her head, and took Ayeka into her arms.

"Here, gimme a hug," she sighed in defeat. The princess happily obliged, and squeezed her closest friend tight. A friendly kiss was placed on the other woman's cheek, and in return, Ryoko gently pounded her fist on her friend's head.

"Hey, what'd I say before?" she said gently. Ayeka chuckled in a pseudo-wicked laugh, and rubbed her closest friend's back.

"Sorry," she said in a very unapologetic tone. "I guess some of your nastier habits rubbed off on me." Ryoko shrugged, flattered that her friend was taking after herself, and withdrew from the hug.

"Hey, listen," she said suddenly. Ryoko was ready to change the subject into something a little more serious, and the mere look on her face suggested that all the playfulness the girls had should be cast aside. Ayeka quietly sobered up, and gave her friend the attention she needed.

"Yes, I'm listening." Ryoko smiled.

"Hey, you remember the last time Nagi was here? You remember what she said?"

"Yes," replied Ayeka softly. "She whispered something to you, then said something about 'you'll know where to look for me', right?"

"Yeah… Anyway, I've been thinking about what she whispered to me, and I wanna see what she wants. I know it doesn't sound like me, but that maniac messed with my mind, y'know? I've been wondering what she meant ever since she left, and although I'm not exactly bouncing outta my seat to see to her again, I can't let something like this go away without knowing what it is first. You know me."

"Yes, very well," said Ayeka, sneaking in some very subtle thoughts into her words. This time Ryoko caught the hidden references, though didn't dwell on them. "So, where do you think she could be?"

"I dunno!" shouted Ryoko angrily. "That woman just left me hangin'! I guess she thought there'd be a place where I knew she'd be, though I wouldn't know _where_ that'd be!" Ayeka, the kind princess, placed a hand of support on her friend's arm.

"Maybe it's where you met her for the first time," she suggested. The brilliant theory caused Ryoko to smile grimly, and the former pirate nodded her head several times in thought.

"You know, princess, I do believe you're right," she said.

"So do you know where to look?" asked Ayeka. Ryoko snarled and gave a very dark smile.

"Oh, yeah. I could get there blindfolded. I'd never forget _that_ place. Yeah, I think she meant for me to go there."

"And where is it?" asked Ayeka, sensing that Ryoko was ready to leave at any time. The ex-pirate paused just briefly before answering.

"Some bar," she answered. "You wouldn't know where it is, believe me." Ryoko took in a deep breath, and suddenly, her arms went around Ayeka's body again, and the ex-pirate pulled her closest friend in for an intimate embrace.

"…I…"

"Ssh," whispered Ryoko. "Just hold me. Don't ask me why, but I felt like I needed a hug before I went away."

"So you're leaving so soon?" asked Ayeka. Ryoko hummed and nodded her head.

"Yeah. If I wait around anymore, I'm gonna go crazy. I gotta know what the heck she was talking about, psychobabble or not. I can't just brush it off, y'know?"

"Yes," whispered a powerfully-empathetic Ayeka. "I know exactly how you feel." Ryoko smiled, and drew back just enough to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Then you know I gotta leave soon," she said softly. Ayeka took in a deep breath, realizing that there was no point in keeping her friend back, and nodded her head.

"Yes, I know," she sighed. "But please, Ryoko, do be careful." Ryoko smiled warmly, and gave Ayeka a confident wink.

"Hey, I didn't get this far out of recklessness and good luck," she assured. "And besides, I've dealt with Nagi before. Don't worry, I'll be okay!" She winked again, ruffled Ayeka's hair, and broke the hug as she floated up in the air. She called out to Ryo-ohki, and within moments the cabbit had transformed into a giant intergalactic spaceship. Ayeka, like most people seeing their friends leave, rushed out for one final goodbye.

"Ryoko!!" she shouted, waving her arm. "Be careful!! And come back safely!!"

"Don't worry!!" shouted the pirate. "I'll be back before you know it! Keep Tenchi company for me while I'm gone!!"

"If you insist!!" sang Ayeka loudly. Ryoko blew a kiss, and Ayeka angrily dodged it. She mutely glared up at her friend, who was currently laughing out loud at the princess' antics.

"You're too much, Yeka!" shouted Ryoko. Ayeka couldn't help the growl that came from her mouth, and muttered out her feelings to herself.

"Ooohh, that woman!" she spat. Then, in a louder voice intended for Ryoko, she yelled, "It's a good thing I love you so much, because otherwise I wouldn't like you at all!!"

"I love you too!!!" shouted Ryoko as she materialized into Ryo-ohki, and the vessel was gone before Ayeka could blink. Secretly, the princess smiled warmly, and clasped her hands together in prayer. Despite their differences, the two would remain close friends forever more, and despite their actions sometimes, they truly did love and care for each other very much. Ayeka had to admit, she was fortunate to have a friend like Ryoko, and had even admitted that she was a little more wild and free herself.

"Farewell, dear friend," whispered the princess once Ryo-ohki was long gone. "Come back safely. You'll know where to find me once you return."

Next chapter: Ryoko finally confronts Nagi and inquires about their last encounter, but how will the bounty hunter express herself? Just what _is_ her secret, anyway? For everybody that knows, please don't spoil it! Next chapter, "No Need for Secrets!" It's unquestionably mysterious!


	3. No Need for Secrets!

III: No Need for Secrets!

__

I remember the very first time I saw you, Ryoko.

How could I forget?

I was young, innocent, naïve. Stupid. I was a fool, a lamb, a lost little soul who still cried. I was so young that I still squeaked whenever I talked. I was so young that I was not even allowed in the bar, so I lied about my age. I was good at making false IDs, so good that it fooled the bouncer and the bartender. I wanted my very first draft of alcoholic beverage, and I was so determined to get it that I made up a lie. Stupid.

I was so young and innocent and stupid that I couldn't hide the silly grin on my face. I was seventeen years old, and I acted half that age as I walked into the smoky bar. It was very well-lit for a place on the Border, and the people that haunted that place were much friendlier than if they had came from the slums, but not as nice as people from the city. This was, after all, the Border, and it was right here where I was raised.

When I walked into the bar, I sat down near the counter like I owned the place. I was still budding into a woman, so I got a lot of stares and whistles from the men. There weren't very many women in there, and most were so ugly that they barely passed as humans. I couldn't even help smiling when the men whistled at me. I sure did smile a lot when I was young. Stupid.

I got a big mug of frosty beer, the object of my desires, and I took a gentle sip first. I never tried beer up until then, so I didn't know if I'd like it. It was okay, but not worth a second purchase. I finished it off, got hilariously drunk (stupid), and started doing things that would have made even you embarrassed, my "friend". I giggled. I laughed. I danced. I made a complete fool out of myself. What can I say? It was my punishment for underage drinking.

But when I saw you walk in, my "friend", I sobered up faster than a priest. I froze as I saw you for the very first time, and all my innocence and naiveté became chilled inside of me as I stared right into your face. You snorted, standing over me, and crossed your arms in that same old cocky way you always did. I was on my knees because of my previous drunken condition, but now that I saw you, I was on my knees in terror. Pathetic.

I had known about the infamous Space Pirate Ryoko ever since I was about six years old--nearly ten years ago. For ten years, I had heard wild stories about how malicious and maniacal and ruthless you were. You didn't just break the law; you shattered it, and threw it away. You did as you pleased, took what you want, terrorized those that threatened you, and killed anyone who got in your way--including my parents.

You killed my parents, Ryoko, and that was why I was so deathly afraid of you.

As I laid there on my knees, looking about as helpless and pathetic as a baby lamb before slaughter, you snarled and gave me your most vicious grin. To you, I was just another sorry, stupid excuse of an underage drinker, and though I think we were the same age (who knows?), you looked down on me and leered so terribly that I actually soiled myself. Stupid.

"What's this?" you said in a low, dark voice. I quivered, completely paralyzed just by looking at you, and I tried to at least keep my eyes open. To close them and curl up in a little ball would be the ultimate disgrace. You snorted--I had not answered you yet--and glared at me even more.

"You got a name?" you growled. I stammered, my lips quivering in fear as I beheld your terrible presence, and all I could do was moan in horror and cry. I cried, Ryoko! I cried because I was so scared of you! And you, you…

"Na… Na…"

"Yeeeess?"

"Na… Na… Nag-gi…"

"Hmph…" Pathetic. I get sick just thinking about it. I don't know how I could have ever been so weak. You smiled wickedly, and pushed me out of your way. "Listen, kid," you threatened, "I don't wanna see you get in my way ever again, got that?"

"I… I…" All I could do was shake fearfully, and cry, and curl up in a ball and pray for you to leave. My God, was I ever so pathetic? Was I ever so helpless and frightened? I… can't even stand to think about it. It makes me so sick that I want to die.

And that was the first time we ever met, Ryoko.

I was not even a bounty hunter yet, but you… you were already feared, and infamous. Nobody knew who I was. That was such a long time ago! It felt like it was in another life… and that now I'm another person… but I am. I am different, and this is another life… I am now Nagi, the universe's greatest bounty hunter--or I was a week ago. And you are Ryoko, the most infamous space pirate around--at least, I thought so. Now, we're both just wasting our lives away in retirement. There's nothing left for either of us now, except to settle the score one last time.

Maybe then, I'll finally tell you the horrible truth. Ryoko, I pray you will be able to handle what I am about to say to you. ………Then again, maybe not. I had better intoxicate you a little first. I don't think you're quite ready just yet, my… "friend"…

Nagi quietly lifted the beer to her lips, and swallowed an eighth of the glass before placing it back on the counter. She was not the best gambler around, though her career did run on chance from time to time. She was hoping that Ryoko came here, to this bar, where they had first met… and the odds of that happening weren't too great.

For the past seven days, Nagi had been in that bar. She almost never even went home, for concern that Ryoko would show up during her absence. For seven days she had kept a silent, mysterious vigil in that Borderline tavern, and although her patience had not borne fruit yet, she was determined to wait for eternity if necessary. After all, now that Ryoko had reformed herself, and had been pardoned by Princess Ayeka, there really was nothing left for Nagi to do. The thrill of the hunt had been stolen away from her, and now all she could do with her life was waste away, drink, and hope to make amends before it was too late.

Nagi sighed, and finished off her beer in the span of an hour. With the glass now empty, she busied herself drawing wet circles on the bar counter. Her face was drooping down in thoughtful emptiness, and with all threatening features gone, she actually looked quite angelic. Bored to tears, slightly drunk, and reeking of the potpourri of nasty smells in the Border bar, Nagi was literally wasting away, and the fact that it was only noon didn't make things any better.

"Hey," said the tender, giving her arm a poke, "don't you have a home to go to, Nagi?" She remained silent for an incredibly long time before responding.

"No. I have no home." The significance of her answer was lost on the tender, and he shrugged and continued to polish his mug. One more hour passed, but Nagi still stayed in that same position. Though she could never boast of liking Ryoko that much, Nagi's patience was surprising. She _wanted_ Ryoko to come to her, and had poured so much mystery and confusion into her speech (the last time she saw her enemy) that the ever-curious pirate _had_ to investigate.

Nagi was just lucky that Ryoko was not one to brush aside something so mysterious.

Yet another hour passed, which meant that it was now 2:00 in the afternoon. Nagi took a deep sigh, and even began to wish that Ryoko was there already--purely for the fact that she wanted to get this over and done with. Nagi had something very important and very personal to tell her "former" enemy--something so important and personal that even she herself feared it. It was going to be a tough time getting her thoughts across, and since the only way that Ryoko would accept things would be for her to be very close to Nagi, the former bounty hunter had a good reason to be anxious.

But the alcohol helped.

And, just like that, the door to the Border Bar opened, and like an event from the past replaying over again, Ryoko stepped into the bar. Nagi turned around, thankfully not on her knees, and the faintest of smiles came to her mouth as she saw the object of her hatred and fear standing but a few meters away. It was almost like looking into the past--here they were, the same bar with the same two women, and there were even a few of the same people around. Nothing, and everything, had changed.

"I was wondering when you'd come," said Nagi. She had planned this conversation with her enemy ever since she first arrived a week ago; she had anticipated every reaction, and every word, and even every facial expression. Nagi wouldn't be caught off guard; she had been waiting far too long to be surprised.

Ryoko only expressed silence as she walked forward. This was but one of many scenarios that Nagi had considered in the past week. She had even considered being embraced by the pirate, no matter how unlikely it seemed. Nagi had not gotten as far as she did on luck alone; she anticipated the impossible, and oftentimes, her preparations paid off well. With a silent hand, Nagi motioned for Ryoko to join her, and even offered to pay for a drink.

"Well, I'm here," said Ryoko suddenly. "What do you want?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," said Nagi coolly. Ryoko snorted.

"You really are insane, you know?" she said blankly. "You buzz something crazy in my ear, then leave without telling me what the heck you're talking about. And _then_ you tell me that I'll know where to look for you! Do you have any idea how crazy and stupid all that sounds?" Nagi smiled, though deep down inside she really was happy a little, and shrugged a little.

"It was all just a clever foil to get you over here," she said. Ryoko snorted again, and crossed her arms. No matter how much she had matured, and no matter how much they had seemed to get along in the past, she still detested the bounty hunter with a fiery passion.

"So I'm here!" stated the pirate. "Now whaddya want?" Nagi smiled again, and bade Ryoko to intake the sake presented to her. The one-time space pirate hummed softly as she saw the small cup, and took a cautious sip of it.

__

Gotcha! 

Nagi grinned inwardly as her arch-nemesis took the bait. Now, all she had to do was wait for the potent liquor to take effect. She had planned to intoxicate Ryoko, of course, and this bar was only the perfect place to do so. The ex-pirate would never be able to handle what Nagi was about to tell her, and since the information was crucially important, the ex-hunter had to devise some way to soften the blow. Getting Ryoko drunk seemed like the best path to take.

Only a few minutes, and a few drinks, passed before things started to take effect. Nagi's efforts in fact paid off a little too well--Ryoko was not only very drunk, but she was also becoming a little too sociable for her own good. She giggled and squirmed like a child, and babbled about things that no interpreter could figure out. She had placed her arm across Nagi's shoulders like the two had known each other for years, and rubbed her nose against the irritated ex-hunter's cheek.

"G'hey," murmured the drunk pirate, "how's about you'n me go out'n have uh good time on thuh town…?"

"No thanks," grunted Nagi, trying to keep both civility and sanity in check. With Ryoko this was normally never very easy, but Nagi detested the ex-pirate, and to have so much unwanted attention poured out on her was making her quite angry. Nagi clenched her teeth in a rage more than once, but through some miracle kept her tongue and temper.

"Ryoko," she said through a growl, "there's something that I need to tell you… Something you won't like."

"D'guh?" burped the pirate. "Like what? Whaaaaat, what izzit, whaddya want?" Ryoko grinned and hugged Nagi's neck like a little kid, and the hunter had to take a big breath before she could speak. Even in her soberest, Ryoko could be a gigantic pain in the rear, and the way she acted now was exaggerating things. Nagi hoped that if she ever had kids, God forbid, they wouldn't act like that.

Slowly, she took a deep breath and prepared to bare her soul. Her mouth opened…

"…Ryoko… I'm…" And then, suddenly, the space pirate fell to the floor in an unconscious heap. Nagi froze, her mouth still open slightly, and she stared at the knocked-out woman in extreme disbelief. She groaned out in misery, tried to calm the throbbing veins in her forehead, and grudgingly bent down to pick Ryoko up. A dazed look was on the pirate's face, and Nagi cursed out loud as she realized that her enemy was out like a light.

Next chapter: Nagi takes Ryoko to her ship so she can recover the hung-over woman, but will she ever reveal what's on her mind? Will Ryoko be able to handle it with sobriety, or will Nagi have to get her drunk again? And for the love of all things sacred, what IS her secret?! Next chapter, "No Need for Thinking!" It's unquestionably philosophical!


	4. No Need for Thinking!

IV: No Need for Thinking!

The record for the galaxy's biggest hangover-induced migraine was instantly broken the second Ryoko woke up. Upon slowly coming to, her skull felt as if it was being pressed under a steamroller or two, and the painful throbbing she felt was like the beating of a gigantic bass drum. Her entire head was moaning out in the worst pain, and she felt just slightly sick in the stomach as well.

Must've been drinking again…

"Welcome back, Ryoko," came a husky voice from somewhere. The one-time pirate used up most of her energy to sit up out of bed, and whatever remained of that was used in opening her eyes. When she managed to shrug off the blurriness of another hangover-induced sleep, she found her headache a joy to endure next to what she saw. She had been lying in a small cot this whole time, and that treacherous bounty hunter Nagi, of all people, was watching over her.

"Mm?" mumbled a slightly-irritated Ryoko--slight because she still hadn't gotten her bearings yet. Nagi, who was sitting in a chair some distance away, smiled faintly and stood up to check on her patient. Ryoko was still too weak from her drunken festivities the other day to move around a whole lot, leaving Nagi a rare chance to closely examine her foe. Burning-maroon eyes dug into Ryoko's golden ones, and the hunter's smile faded.

"Well, I guess you'll pull through," she said flatly. Ryoko tried to snarl, but was still a little weak from her painful sleep. So instead, she flopped back on the cot and somehow managed to groan out a request that Nagi should leave. The hunter gladly obliged, and before she left the area, told Ryoko that they were now both in the bowels of Ken-ohki, and that Ryo-ohki was being kept in "a safe place", and that there was no escaping her now.

But by that time, Ryoko was already snoring.

__

It's been such a long time, Ryoko… So long, in fact, that I've actually grown to miss you. Ha, I must be going soft… But, if you wanna know the truth, I really have missed you, I really have. It's been ages since I saw you, and though I normally hate your guts……… today, I'm glad to see you. Ha! Hate your guts… I guess it's because of… "that"…

…How am I gonna tell her…? I can tell she's grown up a lot--not physically, sure, but mentally, and emotionally, and yes, even spiritually. She's more mature now, just barely. I just hope that she can handle whatever I have to tell her… I know I couldn't when I first learned about it…

Well, there's only one way to find out!

Nagi had been in a deep trance for the better part of the hour. She had asked Ken-ohki to turn the temperature in her room down to a nearly-unbearable freezing, and was almost to the point of shivering for the warmth. _Disgusting,_ she berated herself. _A few years ago, you could've endured a lot worse than this! ……Must be… well… do I care? Ha! Has this beast's icy heart finally melted?_

…Nahh.

At the end of this hour, Nagi decided that both she and Ryoko had had enough private time together, and that they should definitely start talking. There was no sense in delaying things, no matter how bad the outcome might've been. This was something that needed to be done fast, and the sooner Nagi got things over with, the sooner……

_What?_ she asked herself. _And then what? What'll happen after I tell Ryoko? What'll happen then, huh? Will she accept what I say, and then everything'll turn out great? Will I be able to go back to the man I once loved, and live the rest of my life in peace? Will we… put aside our differences? I… I'd like to say that there's not a good chance of it, but……… I… I still have hope…_

Then again, there's only one way to find out…

Nagi took in a very deep breath, held it in for just a few seconds and released it into the chilly air. It became a ghost, and Nagi watched this ghost for a few seconds before turning around and facing her adversary. She was not going to like telling this to Ryoko, and the wild woman would certainly not like hearing it. Nagi had wanted to delay this, but there was just no point in delaying things any longer. After all, this bit of information had been held back all their lives; why bother holding it back even longer?

The former bounty hunter stepped out of her freezing room, steeled her resolve, and stepped into the warm room of Ryoko. As expected, the pirate was still asleep, so Nagi had to shake her a little before anything could really be done. She had been procrastinating long enough; now was the time to bare all.

"Ryoko! Wake up!" whispered Nagi. The pirate let out a moan and did stir, but only fell into an even deeper sleep. Nagi sighed impatiently, and kept on poking her enemy until the woman yawned and opened her tired eyes.

"What?" grumbled the sleeping beast.

"Get up. You've been asleep long enough." Ryoko, who felt about as exhausted as she had ever been, reasoned that with her headache, she would never be asleep "long enough". But when she gazed into Nagi's face, and saw a sharp sense of urgency behind the mask of bitterness and manipulation, she swallowed dryly and slipped out of the cot. Ryoko was a very pretty woman, except when she woke up, and this one time was no exception, either.

"Nnhh, whatizzit?" she grumbled. Nagi frowned, and helped Ryoko stand up. The other woman was in no condition to hear her out; perhaps breakfast and a small cup of sake would cure that…?

Nagi had little in the ways of food and alcohol on her ship. Most of it was emergency rations, although if one looked well enough, one would be able to find something a little nicer. Ryoko didn't care, though. She ate everything like it was her last meal in life, and completely cleaned out Nagi's food supplies. Normally, the ex-hunter would've been thrown into a fury over having all her food eaten away (especially if it had been eaten by Ryoko), but today she merely watched her foe with an empty stare.

After gorging herself on everything Nagi had to offer, Ryoko felt refreshed and ready to--

"Take a shower!!" sneered Nagi, crinkling her nose in disgust. Her fingers were tightly pinching her nose, and her eyes burned with horror. Ryoko's own face was aflame as well, but with extreme anger over having been told to bathe herself.

"Hey! Who are you to--"

"Shut up and _do it!!!_" snapped Nagi viciously, and Ryoko let out a few extremely nasty phrases as she stormed off to the bathroom. A few quick sniffs here and there told her that yes, she needed a shower very badly, especially after the activities of the previous night.

Now with Ryoko gone, Nagi breathed out a sigh of relief and concentrated on the future. This act alone was strange for her: with the exception of plotting how she would go about killing Ryoko, Nagi had never really given much thought about the future. Sure, there were times when she fantasized about what would become of her once Ryoko was put to justice, but that was it.

_How am I gonna tell her?_ she wondered. _How in all the worlds am I gonna tell her? …I have no idea. I'm no good at this sort of thing. …I guess… when the time comes… I'll know, but… Hmm, no matter what, it's gonna be tough to pull off. Not impossible, though--thankfully not impossible._

Even after all this time, I still can't believe that we're…

Twenty minutes passed, and a toasty Ryoko emerged from the bathroom with a fresh change of clothes and a towel around her hair. Nagi quietly thanked her foe for washing up, then beckoned her to come closer for "something important". Ryoko, ever the curious one, figured that now she would finally discover what in blazes Nagi had been wanting all this time. She had been enigmatic enough during her last visit, but now was the time to hear the truth.

"So are you finally gonna tell me what's up?" asked the former pirate. Nagi nodded her head, causing Ryoko to let out a sharp sigh. "Well it's about time! Huh! The nerve of keeping me waiting all this time!"

"You sound just like that princess friend of yours," said Nagi wryly. Ryoko grumbled, but otherwise paid her no response. With a single silent stare, she urged Nagi to finally reveal what was on her mind, and so with nowhere else to go and no more time for delaying the truth, Nagi told Ryoko what she needed to know.

In theory.

"Ryoko, do you remember your mother?" she asked. The question took Ryoko off guard, and the one-time pirate had to wonder if _this_ was what Nagi had wanted her for.

"Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"Do you remember your mother?" asked Nagi again. "Your real mother?" Ryoko made an angry/confused face, shook her head, and tried figuring out why Nagi would want to know something like that.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer me," said Nagi with no hidden irritation in her voice. Ryoko sighed, shrugged, and played her enemy's game.

"No, if you must know, I don't remember her, nor my father. I was too young to remember anything, Nagi. In fact, the first loving face I ever saw was a buncha stiff priests at some crazy church."

"_You_ were raised in a church?" snickered Nagi doubtfully. Ryoko's dead eyes spoke volumes.

"Don't get any ideas, now," she mumbled. "I raised plenty of Hell in that place, so to speak, so they eventually grew tired of me and sent me out in the streets. I was only seven at the time, I think, but being forced to live outside in the cold shaped me up pretty fast. I… begged for the priests to let me back in, but they said that I had blown my chance already."

"…That's horrible," whispered a surprisingly-genuine Nagi. Ryoko glanced over at her enemy with eyes wide open in surprise, and silently wondered if Nagi was really that concerned or not. She shrugged it off, and continued her story.

"Anyway," she said, "I ended up being a pickpocket. I mean, I had no family, no money, no place to stay, no nothing. I took what jobs I could to get by, but… I was always miserable. Then, as you might know, I turned to being a space pirate, and I guess I was pretty good at it if I got some wacko like you to chase after me." Ryoko looked over at her enemy to see if there was any expression behind her face; there was.

By now, Nagi had a… well, not a loving look, but more of a _peaceful_ look to her normally-vicious face. The faintest of all smiles was on her mouth, and as she gazed back at the woman she had been chasing and hating all this time, a momentary spark of understanding was ignited. As unbelievable as it sounded, Nagi could actually sympathize with her enemy to a point. She too knew what it meant to grow up lonely and without the love of a family. Unlike Ryoko, she had been adopted by a man who taught her all the skills she would need to be a successful bounty hunter, but even so…

Nagi's thoughts trailed off for awhile. Her adoptive father had trained her and honed her skills for some kind of destiny, but what was it? To kill Ryoko? He had told her that Ryoko was the one responsible for the death of her parents, and up until very recently, Nagi believed him. She knew now that it had been a lie, and that the entire story was devised so that Nagi's fear of Ryoko would leave her. And now…

"Why do you ask?" said Ryoko, glancing over at her enemy. Nagi was still lost in her thoughts at this point, but managed to mumble out a reply.

"I have no memory of my mother," she said quietly, her eyes glazed over. "I never knew her…"

"Oh…" Another pause in the conversation separated their speech. Then, "Is that what you dragged me all the way over here for?"

"No," replied Nagi in the same quiet, dead voice. "I wanted to tell you something… something that neither you nor anyone else will believe… Something that I don't wanna admit, something that…… is hard to say even now, even after all this time."

"Oh, lemme guess," grumbled Ryoko. "You've had romantic feelings for me all this time?" Nagi's dead face suddenly grew a smile, and she even laughed out loud.

"No! Nothing like that at all!" she chuckled. Ryoko, who was slightly less amused, tilted her head in confusion.

"…Oh. Well, one less worry on my mind. But… what is it then?" Nagi took a minute to calm herself down, and made sure that all the giggles in her system were flattened out before she spoke. She had not laughed that hard in a very long time…

Turning around, Nagi's eyes suddenly grew a little sad, and even desperate. Ryoko drew back in surprise, and her own eyes quivered as Nagi looked right into her soul. The woman swallowed, obviously at a loss for words (and at such a crucial time!), and finally whispered out what she had been wanting to say.

"Ryoko… I don't know how to tell you this, so I guess… I'll just go ahead and say it."

"What?" wondered Ryoko, and Nagi spoke the words that would alter both of their destinies for the rest of their lives.

__

I'm your sister, Ryoko.

"You're kidding," said Ryoko with a weak grin. The look in Nagi's shivering eyes told her that no, she was not kidding at all. "…Right? …Nagi? You're just messing with my mind again, right? …Right? ……Nagi?"

"No, Ryoko," said the ex-hunter firmly, "I'm not making this up. I'm…… I'm your sister, Ryoko." The space pirate shivered visibly in the warm room, took several steps back, and stared at Nagi in unquestionable horror. Both women had the exact same look on their faces--a look of shock, and confusion, and disbelief, and illness…

"No…" croaked Ryoko, her voice thick with emotion. "No… it… it's not true… It, it can't be true! Nagi, that's not true! That's impossible!!!"

"I'm sorry," said Nagi emptily, and for the first time in many years, she meant it. "I wish it were false, Ryoko, but it's not. It's not false at all--it's very real, though I admit that I don't like it any more than you do…"

"_Shut up!!!_" screamed the pirate, slapping her hands over her ears. She was now glaring at the hateful Nagi with as much fire and rage as possible, and with Ryoko, that was a lot. "It's not true!!!" she screamed again. "It's not true!!!"

"I'm sorry," said Nagi in the same empty voice. "There's nothing else I can do. Disbelieve me if you want, but it's the truth."

"You're _lying!!!!!_" Ryoko screamed out at her most hated enemy, her face now exploding in uncontrolled fury. She wanted to rip out Nagi's windpipe with her bare hands, wanted to shove a pike through her face, wanted to pull apart her body one piece at a time…… Anything to relieve the torture and to destroy this wicked liar.

"I only wish it were so," said Nagi with a hint of sadness. "Ryoko… don't think that I'm saying this for my own benefit. I'm a whole lot more creative than this, and if I had wanted to trick you in some way…"

"Shut up!!!!" screamed the pirate again. "Just shut up!!! Shut up!!!!!" She roared out in a rage, and before Nagi could stop her, Ryoko had materialized through her ship, found Ryo-ohki, and blasted off back towards Earth in a tearful rage.

"Ryoko, stop!!!" Nagi's shouting would do little good; by that time, Ryoko was long gone. The bounty hunter sighed once things calmed down again, and sat down on the bare surface of her cabbit vessel. _Who was I kidding?_ grumbled she. _Did I just expect Ryoko to rush forth with open arms and give me a hug? What did I expect her to do? "Oh, Nagi, I'm so glad we're finally reunited after all this time!" Ha! I was a fool to think that she'd react any other way!_

Well, at least she knows now… That's some solace at least.

I just hope… she doesn't do anything rash…

………Ryoko………

When you're ready to accept the truth, Ryoko… Sis…

I'll be… waiting for you…

Slowly, as Ryo-ohki descended towards Earth, Ryoko began shedding tears.

She had some thinking to do.

Next chapter: Wow! What a revealing secret! But is it really the truth, or does Nagi not have all her facts straight? How will Ryoko find out? And how will everyone else at the Masaki house take it? Next chapter, "No Need for a Sorority!" It's unquestionably touching!


	5. No Need for a Sorority!

V: No Need for a Sorority!

A tearful and shell-shocked Ryoko made her way back to Earth, flying across a quarter of the galaxy in her cabbit-vessel. She had left the Border bar in an uncontrollable fury, but now that Earth was within visual distance, tears came down her face like racers in a marathon. She shivered in horror and disbelief, and the giants known as Doubt and Despair began to mercilessly beat her with their mighty clubs. She felt sick enough to vomit, and a million and a half questions ran through her mind as Ryo-ohki descended to Earth.

Ryoko emerged from her vessel with her arms around her waist, and she hugged herself despite the warm mid-morning sun. She looked like she had just been through everything Hell had to throw at her, and in a masochistic rage, had gone back for more. Her golden eyes were quivering with tears, and her face was nearly white in horror. All the zest and zeal that had defined her in the past was now gone--there was only a shell left, a doubtful and horrified shell.

So in a sense, she really couldn't have been any worse off.

When she landed on Earth, or to be more specific, the Masaki residence, the first thing she saw made all her troubles vanish away. Standing there in the field, tending to Ryo-ohki's private patch of carrots, was the man who had thieved from the thief's heart, Tenchi Masaki. For Ryoko, seeing Tenchi was like suddenly emerging from Hell and seeing Heaven right before her; she wept with joy, and called out his name.

"Oh, hey Ryoko!" he greeted warmly. Those three words alone made Ryoko's previous experience seem bearable, and in a joyful sorrow, she flew towards the young man with arms wide open.

"TENCHI!!!!!"

"G'hey, go easy on me!!!" he shouted, figuring that this was just another one of Ryoko's normal greetings. He glared and tried to pry the woman away from him, but as his brown eyes met her golden ones, he suddenly paused. Those eyes were not filled with the usual lustful malice, but with terror and fear and sadness and uncertainty. They were brimming with tears, and Ryoko's normally-constricting arms were as gentle as a child's.

"…Please, Tenchi," she whispered, "just hold me. Please…"

"Ryoko…"

"Hold me please," she whispered again, nestling her chin on his shoulder. Her arms gently folded around his body again, and Tenchi found himself holding and comforting the woman who used to be the galaxy's most terrifying space pirate. Ryoko shivered with joy as he held her close, and she whispered her thanks.

__

What just happened? she whispered to herself. _What is going on? I… I can't believe it! Nagi… no, no!! No!!! She's not… she can't be… she's not! No!! It's impossible! Impossible! She's not my… augh, I can't even think about it! It's so terrifying! It can't be true! It's not!_

…It's true that I don't know who my parents were. I don't know how I came into this life, nor why my parents abandoned me. I… I think I was placed on the doorstep of that monastery, and I stayed there until I was about six or so. I… I don't even remember if I had a name or not, I just remember the church, and the priests who took care of me. It's true I was a handful, but… all I really wanted was attention, and someone to love me, and… I wanted to know who I was.

The priests named me Fatima Christina Marcella, after the St. Marcella church where I had been found. I hated that name, but at least it was some kind of symbol that I was loved. I… I guess I made a pretty big mistake by rebelling against them. If I had stayed with them, then maybe I could have grown up all sophisticated and proper, like Ayeka. But, I didn't, and I was thrown out on the streets for my uncontrollable behavior.

I spent the next six years on the streets, turning my anger and wild antics into pick-pocketing. I became skilled--perhaps too skilled, in fact. One day, I stole from the wrong person, and paid dearly for it. Fortunately, all I lost was my pride, but what I gained was infinitely better.

I discovered that I had stolen from the legendary space pirate Ryoko. People would consider it strange if they heard that I was not the real Ryoko, but I guess it's just the way things go. I soon grew to befriend Ryoko--or should I say, study under her. I learned how to thieve from people the professional way, and I got really good at it. One day, around the time I was seventeen or so, I had gotten so good that Ryoko told me her deepest and darkest secret.

She was not the real space pirate Ryoko.

Yeah, it sounded weird to me too, but she told me plain as day that she wasn't the original. Her name had been Emeliayah Rhoggoue, and she had been the one-time student of a woman who also was and was not the space pirate Ryoko. That woman was called Diana Janet Lo, and she had been the student of the one-and-true original space pirate Ryoko--who, as I discovered, had been retired for some time and had been living very well on a private planet she owned.

One can only imagine my surprise as I learned this intimate secret from her. Of course, it all made sense! "Ryoko"--that is, the original space pirate Ryoko--had kept her mystery and infamy fresh by passing her torch of piracy onto her students, and now--because of my increasing skills, I was to become the new space pirate Ryoko. That is how I got my name, my fame, and all the fear and respect a real space pirate deserves.

I never knew I had a sister in the mix……… but with my life as freaky as it's been, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I…… I wouldn't mind having a sister, I really wouldn't… I guess that's just another thing of Ayeka's that I envy… I've always wanted a little sister that would look up to me, and play with me, and keep me company…

But Nagi? That… can't be right!

"Ryoko?" Tenchi's concerned voice broke her thoughts, and she snapped out of her trance to give the man she loved a heartfelt gaze.

"Hm?"

"I, uh… I have to go inside real soon… I, uh, have to study for a test…" Ryoko's thoughtful, sad face grew a slight smile as she picked up the regret in his voice, and she laid her chin on his shoulder one more time.

"Mmmm… just a little longer, please," she whispered. "It feels so good…" Tenchi sighed, and smiled as he held onto the wild woman with gentle arms.

"Ryoko… what's the matter? Is there anything I might do to help?" She smiled even wider as Tenchi sweetly offered to take all her worries off of her shoulders. That was just the kind of guy he was: sweet, caring, compassionate, and willing to do just about anything to make somebody happy. Ryoko genuinely loved him for these reasons, and more. But… even with Tenchi, she just wasn't ready to talk about what had transpired just yet.

"No… just hold me for a little while longer," she whispered. Tenchi smiled and obliged, and Ryoko's worries began to melt away as the man she loved hugged her close. Finally, after two more minutes of silence, Ryoko reluctantly slipped away and looked into his calm, gentle eyes. Without saying a word, she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his, and for the first time in… well, ever, he did not repulse her advances.

"…Wow," she whispered once the kiss had broken, "you really are a good kisser." Tenchi smiled and blushed just faintly, and apologized for having to go back inside so suddenly. Ryoko understood, and let the young man go back to his studies. Of course, once he left, her smile turned into a sigh, and the sigh became sadness once again as the terrors of recent events crept up on her.

__

I'm your sister, Ryoko.

Silently, Ryoko walked back inside the house and made her way to her and Ayeka's room. She wanted to either take a nap and forget about everything, or else have a nice long bath, or else have a friendly argument with her dear friend. All three options would ease her pain--perhaps Ayeka would even be willing to share the large Bath House with her.

Ryoko silently floated through the Masaki house until she came to her room. Here, she saw Ayeka sitting at the vanity mirror, brushing out her long violet hair. Ryoko's gaze was far too dead and glassy to pay much attention; the ex-pirate didn't even respond when Ayeka greeted her.

"Oh! Welcome back, Ryoko! So what did Nagi have to tell you?" No answer. Ayeka's concern raised up a notch when all she got was silence, and this notch grew a little higher as Ryoko plopped herself down on the bed and moaned out softly.

"Ryoko?" said a concerned princess. "Ryoko, what's the matter, dear?" Ayeka stopped brushing her hair, and walked over to place a hand on her friend's shoulder. Ryoko remained motionless, folding her arms in front of her and resting her weary head on them. She kept on staring ahead, unresponsive and very much in a state of fear and worry. Ayeka, sensing her friend's negative mood, slowly began to massage her back in an effort to coax anything out.

"Ryoko, tell me what's wrong," said the princess gently. "I'm your friend, Ryoko. You can tell me what's on your mind. I promise I won't get mad or anything. Please, Ryoko, let me help you out. I don't like seeing you miserable like this." Ryoko took a deep breath, and finally spoke to her friend.

"…I don't wanna talk about it," she mumbled. Ayeka's face became full of compassion and a little bit of hurt as she saw her friend suffer in silence, and she rubbed and spoke even gentler.

"Ryoko, if you really don't want to say anything, then I won't force it out of you. But please, dear, remember that you have me here, and I don't want to see you in such poor spirits. You can tell me anything, dear."

"Yeah, I know," sighed the other woman. Ayeka's mood didn't increase at all, but she kept on massaging her friend anyway. When she did stop, Ryoko quietly asked her not to, and said that it felt very good, and she needed all the love and kindness that the princess could muster. Ayeka would smile just barely, and then continued to pour out her compassion.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the news came out.

"…It's about what happened when I went to see Nagi," she murmured. Ayeka's gentle hands grew slightly tense, and her anger began to rise.

"…Did she hurt you, or threaten you in any way?" she asked. "Because if she did, then she'll have to answer to me personally. I've already pardoned you--she knows that!"

"No, it's nothing like that at all," whispered the pirate. However grateful Ryoko had been for Ayeka's pardon (and subsequent oath to protect the woman from any bounty hunters), she was still slightly depressed and altogether in a miserable mood.

"What then?" asked Ayeka, sensing that her friend was ready to talk. A pause, and then she got an unsuspected answer.

"…She claimed she was my sister," said Ryoko in a dead voice. Ayeka froze when she heard this, and didn't do anything except stare ahead in a catatonic state. Her blood chilled a little, but unlike her friend, she recovered slowly and began to massage a little gentler now.

"…Can she back that claim up?" whispered the princess. Ryoko shrugged.

"I don't know… I… I hope not… Cuz', you know…"

"Yes…" murmured Ayeka. She knew full well that the ex-pirate and ex-hunter would not have made great friends. They had hated each other, and seemed to live solely to kill the other one. Their enmity was an old one, and a mysterious one, and one that had caused the residents of the Masaki house a little more trouble than what they were accustomed to. But… _family?_ Nagi was Ryoko's _sister?!_ No wonder the woman was so distraught!!

"…Try not to think about it now," said Ayeka gently. She knew her advice was useless, and that Ryoko would do the exact opposite (as always, poor thing), but she really didn't know what else to do. Ayeka could not sympathize (or empathize) with her new friend.

"Yeah, good luck doing that," muttered Ryoko. Ayeka pursed her lips and began scratching Ryoko's neck, something the pirate enjoyed very much.

"There's nothing else I can do for you except give you comfort," said the princess. "If you want, you can ask Miss Washu whether the claim is real or not, and if you want to talk about it some more… well, I'm always here for you." Ryoko rolled over until she was on her back, reached up, and pulled her friend down so they were holding each other.

"Thanks, princess," said the ex-pirate softly. "…That… really means a lot to me…" Ayeka gave her friend a hidden smile, kissed her cheek, and asked if there was anything else she could have done. "No," sighed Ryoko, "not really. I think I'm gonna go ask Washu about… eh, you know… But, ahh… thanks, Ayeka."

"It is always a pleasure," smiled the princess. Ryoko returned the smile, and placed her hands on the princess' cheeks.

"Hey, gimme a kiss," she said with a faint smile. Ayeka's warm face turned hot in an instant.

"I will not, you savage!" Ryoko suddenly burst out in giggles, and held her friend in a mighty headlock until the princess began to giggle as well. The girls had a brief mock-wrestling match, which Ryoko won, and both women gave each other another warm hug before the pirate left her dearest friend.

"Ryoko?"

"Hm?"

"Take care of yourself, dear."

"I will. Trust me, Ayeka, I will." And with that, she was gone.

As usual, Ryoko didn't knock when she entered Washu's lab--yet for some reason, the petite mad scientist knew just who exactly had came to pay her a visit. The fact that she had her back turned and was currently typing on a computer terminal didn't matter; she could have been asleep and would have known.

"Ahh, little Ryoko!" she called out. "To whom do I owe the pleasure of this most unexpected visit?"

"Can the chat, Washu," moaned an exhausted ex-pirate. "I didn't come here to have tea with you or anything."

"I know!" said the genius with a smile. Putting her files on hold, the little scientist twirled around in her chair and gave her visitor that same enigmatic smirk she usually had--which on normal circumstances, would have meant danger for everything within a 15-mile radius.

"So, what then?" asked Washu, and Ryoko's irritated face became soft, and sad, as she tried forming the words that would alter her entire life. "That face you make…" observed Washu, "…do I really look that old?!"

"Huh? Oh, uh, no, not at all…" Washu chuckled a little as she caught Ryoko off guard, and beckoned the pirate closer with her hand.

"Yeah, it's hard to look so pretty," she boasted. "Why, by the time you reach my age, I'll bet you won't look nearly as good! Hahahahahahaha!!!" To the scientist's surprise, Ryoko smiled a little as well, something she rarely ever did in the presence of Washu. The scientist immediately knew there was something wrong when she saw the taller lady smile, and asked what the problem was.

Sort of.

"Awww, did widdle Wyoko get hurt by that big mean ol' Nagi?"

"Shut up," moaned Ryoko, and Washu grinned as she managed an apology.

"Sorry… but seriously, what's up? If it's about Nagi, you know that you're gonna hafta confront her again. I mean, I know both of you are retired from your… eh, ahem, your 'work', but let's be honest: you and Nagi are bound to cross paths sooner or later! Might as well get it all over with!!" Washu's smiling, bright face was a sharp contrast to Ryoko's downtrodden one, and even the scientist grew serious as she saw just how depressed the taller woman was. Then, from out of nowhere, Ryoko whispered out her darkest question.

"…Little Washu… _is_ Nagi my sister?" Washu immediately grew very grave, for she had been expecting Ryoko to ask such a question for some time. She slowly turned her chair around again, and pretended to resume her work.

"…Why, whatever gave you that idea?" she asked in a very flat voice. "And what makes you think I know?" Ryoko's hand suddenly touched Washu's shoulder, and the little genius looked up to see the former pirate shivering with doubt and fear. That face was one that begged to know the truth, no matter how nasty it might have been, and no matter how impish Washu had been in the past, she was not one to refuse somebody so hungry for the truth. Sighing deeply, the scientist sealed Ryoko's fate with just a handful of words.

"…Yes. She's your sister." A dark silence hovered in the laboratory as Ryoko stared ahead, allowing the horrifying information to sink slowly into her mind. Washu was not the most reliable person in the universe, but when matters became important, she was not one to lie to anybody, least of all about such a difficult subject. Ryoko's hollow silence was indication enough that Washu should prod further.

"…So, she already told you, eh…?" Another dark pause.

"…Yes," came a very faint reply. Washu sighed again, and all the playful antics that both women were famous for had left them.

"This is most unexpected," murmured Washu to herself. "…And unfortunate."

"What do you mean? Unfortunate that I know the truth?"

"No…!" Washu suddenly grew slightly angry, and stood up in an effort to glare calmly at the taller woman. "It's unfortunate because we had to wait so long before we could tell you the news! Unfortunate because Nagi has been carrying that information around with her for the past _three years_, and only now did she think you were mature enough to handle it! It's unfortunate because you would've probably gone berserk with fury if I didn't intervene!"

"What do you mean?" asked Ryoko. "What does all that have to do with this?"

"Everything!!" shouted Washu, and Ryoko's voice was lost to her as the scientist chewed her out. "Ryoko, do you realize what would've happened if Nagi told you all that three years ago? Huh? Do you realize what I went through just so you could be smart enough, and wise enough, to really take this kind of blow? Do you realize how much danger I put myself in, as well as everyone else?! Huh? Or do you even care?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!!" replied Ryoko, and neither woman calmed down for some time.

"Three and a half years ago, Nagi came to me asking about her parents!" began Washu. "I did some work for her, and _that's_ when we both found out that the two of you were related! Nagi's reaction was exactly what I thought it would be, but thankfully, she was mature enough to reason out that she needed to tell you! But I advised her not to--not until you had grown up enough to handle such news! So I… I… I, I sent you and Ayeka…"

"Oh, you didn't!!" snarled the ex-pirate. "Tell me you did not!!!"

"Yes, I did," murmured the scientist. "Hate me if you will, kill me if you must, but the fact of the matter is that I was willing to put the two of you through the ultimate ordeal so you could grow up! And I wasn't the only one who felt like you were a bother! Everyone in this house, even Tenchi--no, _especially_ Tenchi--didn't like the way you and that princess fought! They were sick of it! And so there was only one thing I could do!"

"Why… you little…" By this time, all sadness and grief had left Ryoko's system, and in exchange for that, an immeasurable flow of pure anger and white-hot rage boiled through her veins, until it was too much to control and the pirate throttled poor Washu.

"You monster!!! You mean to tell me that _YOU_ were the cause of all that!!"

"Hey! I… was just… trying… to… get you… to…" Washu struggled to release herself from the ex-pirate's fury, but it would've taken the jaws of life to separate the two. Washu did eventually enlist the aid of her machines to break Ryoko's death-grip, and knelt on the floor to gasp for air before she tried speaking again.

"…Listen, Ryoko," she said after she caught her breath, "I never wanted to hurt either of you, I really didn't. I don't like saying this, but you brought it on yourself." A pause. Ryoko's anger had faded slowly, and now the former pirate could look at Washu with a calm but still-enraged face. "Listen," continued the scientist, "if you had been a lot nicer, and kinder, and wiser, then none of that would've happened. But since you've been a pain in the neck for all of us, I had no choice but to reform you the hard way.

"Yet you must understand, little Ryoko… We all really and truly love you here. Everyone at this house, myself included, loves you very much. In fact, Ryoko, I think we love you _too_ much. You didn't deserve anything from us except silence and a turned back, yet because we didn't like it when you were haughty, or when you argued with Ayeka, or when you made a basic pain out of yourself, we wanted to see you reform. We _wanted_ to see the 'good' Ryoko, the one that, thank God, is present right here and now.

"So you see, Ryoko, the old phrase is true." Washu paused, and held up a sagely finger for the other woman. "'You always hurt the ones you love', and my dear, I believe though we may have hurt you a lot, it is only because we all love you so very much. _That_ is the truth."

A long, calm silence floated in the air, and in that time, Ryoko slowly walked towards Washu, her face lined with tears and her entire body quivering. She looked ten times worse than when she had came in, yet not even Washu could've ignored the bright sparkle in the wild woman's golden eyes.

"…I'm so sorry," wept the pirate weakly, and Washu held the crying woman in her arms. Ryoko hugged back, too miserable to care that it was a mad scientist she was hugging, and wept until she could weep no more. "I'm… so sorry…"

"Sshh, it's okay, dear," assured Washu. "It's okay… it's okay… All of that is behind you now, and you have to admit that you're a stronger woman because of it."

"……Yeah…" Ryoko sniffled, managed a weak smile, and cried on Washu's shoulders for a few more seconds before she let the gentle maniac go. Without saying a word, Ryoko turned and walked out of the lab--still in tears, but with a firm determination to her stride.

"Hm? Where are you going?" asked the scientist. A pause.

"To settle things with Nagi," replied Ryoko in a firm but dead voice. The former pirate balled up her fist, and gathered all her courage for one last showdown with her mortal enemy. "I have to face her sometime, just like you said. I might as well get it over with. I… may not like what happens, but I guess that's life. It's time I owe up, it's time I _grew_ up, and it's time I started taking things like a real woman.

"Besides," she said as she glanced back at Washu, "she _is_ my sister." And with one final smile, Ryoko vanished from Washu's dimensional world. The scientist let out a sigh, wished Ryoko good luck, and turned back to her research.

__

Search: Armand and Anya Stohk, Tg, Minidia System; birth records of space pirate Ryoko; birth records of bounty hunter Nagi.

Run Search? **Y**/N

Searching… please wait…

Next chapter: Now that Ryoko knows the cold truth, she's off to confront Nagi. Will these two mortal enemies put their differences aside and come together as family? Or will old habits die hard? Next chapter, "No Need for Reconciliation!" It's unquestionably dramatic!


	6. No Need for Reconciliation!

Author's note: First of all, let me assure everyone that the Star Wars and Princess Bride references are purely for tribute. Star Wars is my favorite movie and the Princess Bride was my favorite chick-flick, so please forgive me if something from either film inspires me. Besides, Squaresoft rips them off more than I do! Biggs, Wedge, Nida (Needa in Star Wars), the lightsaber, and let's not forget Necron's speech in Final Fantasy 9! Oh, by the way, if anybody's having trouble reading new chapters, just click the "Reload" button to cheat. It works for me. Anyway…

VI: No Need for Reconciliation!

_The second time Ryoko and I met was considerably different than the first. It was about two months after my first big job, the very same one where I had my first brush with love… and where I lost much of my innocence. I emerged from that mission a changed woman, one who was stronger, and tougher, and more merciless than her previous incarnation. I was no longer a sniveling little girl; I was Nagi the Ruthless, Nagi the Fearless, Nagi the Fanatical, and I swore on my life that I would kill my enemy._

Fittingly enough, I saw Ryoko in the very same place where I met her first. She came in, stinking of alcohol, and was too confused and drunk to notice me. But I saw her, and though for a moment I feared her, all the terror I had previously felt soon left me, and in its place came the anger, and the rage, and the hatred that had defined me for so long. Here she was, the woman who had murdered my parents, and I was not about to let her go so easily.

I immediately bolted out of my seat, dashed over to the tipsy woman, and slammed my fist against her face so hard that my knuckles bled. She fell down to the floor hard, causing dust to scatter in an explosive cloud. I snarled as she laid there, breathing hard and slow, and I prayed that the single blow had killed her. Deep down inside, I hope it didn't. That would have been too easy.

Groaning, Ryoko slowly got to her feet, the red bruise on her face shining out like a beacon to the rest of the drinkers. By now, I had drawn the attention of everyone in the bar, and they stared in awful silence as I glared hotly at my most hated enemy.

"What was that for?!" growled Ryoko viciously. I returned her fierce tone easily.

"Do you remember who I am, Ryoko?" She did not. "My name is Nagi, Ryoko. Learn it well, for it is the name of your executioner!" Several doubtful people scoffed and even snickered as they heard my claim, but I paid them no attention. My scorn was aimed at another.

"Nagi?? Weren't you that little girl I saw in here a month or two ago?"

"No, she is dead," I snarled. "I killed her. I am all that's left of her, and now, my hated enemy, I shall kill you!" One person let out a laugh at my preposterous words, but that laugh was instantly silenced as I gave Ryoko a sudden fierce kick in the guts, followed by another hard punch to the head. She fell backwards to the floor, and my sword was out and aimed straight at her throat the very second she hit the ground.

Silence.

The entire room was aghast with shock. It had only taken me a few seconds to disable and defeat my prey--it was so fast that some people couldn't even follow it. One moment, Ryoko was standing up and I was exaggerating my own skills, the next…… well, they could see what happened.

"Let that be a lesson to everyone else," I said, keeping my eyes on my hated foe. "To those that doubt the power of the great bounty hunter Nagi, I give to you this victory over Ryoko. May her blood quench your thirsty curiosity." I snarled with glee at my hated enemy, and would have driven my blade right through her neck if I hadn't been distracted by a few of the Galaxy Police barging through the door. The good news was that they were not after me; the bad news was that they wanted a piece of my prey, and she was mine to kill, and in the few seconds it took for my attention to be diverted, Ryoko kicked at me and scrambled away to safety.

We have been mortal enemies ever since.

And now… now I am expected to believe that she, Ryoko, my most hated enemy, and one of the universe's most terrifying criminals, was my sister. Unfortunately, I also had unshakable proof that this claim was true, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, Ryoko and I were related by blood. The thought sickened me--at first. Now, though, I've had time to think things over. I've been thinking a lot, ever since the day I learned of our true connection, and though at first I was horrified, I soon began to realize that…… despite our enmity, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a sister in my life.

Ha… I must be getting soft… But it's true, it's true… I never knew any family, and up until a few years ago, I never knew where I came from or who had given birth to me. I don't even know if my original parents were really ever killed. And now this shows up……… Ha… a real, real family… A sister, and a mother, and a father…

I don't want it to become public knowledge, but it's what I've always wanted.

Ryoko…… believe it or not, but… I'm ready to start all over again, and if you're willing to put the past behind us and start this road anew, then…… well, I'll be glad to go along for the ride. I mean, after all, you are my sister.

Nagi had returned to the Border Bar after Ryoko escaped her ship. The former bounty hunter had spent only a short amount of time in thought after the uncomfortable scenario, and decided that it would be better to journey back to the place where she and Ryoko first met. Although the ex-pirate had left Nagi in a sudden horror (understandably), Nagi had faith that her one-time enemy would soon eventually cool off, seek the truth, and come back to the place where they had met so many times before. After all, Ryoko would never be able to rest until the whole matter had been settled.

Nagi had not been waiting long--about six hours or so. She was an incredibly patient woman, and could wait out her… _sister_ (it still felt weird to think of Ryoko as family, but Nagi was slowly getting used to it) for as long as it took. One day, one week, one month, one year… however long it took for Ryoko to return to her, Nagi would wait. Besides, with her prey now retired and cleared of all crimes, Nagi really had nothing else left to do in life, except maybe settle down and raise a family.

_A family…_ Nagi's insides melted involuntarily as she had thoughts of mothering children, and marrying, and going through life in love and not in pursuit. She had only really loved one man in her entire life, but unless she was mistaken, this one man had probably already forgotten about her. And even so, could she really go back to him? She had changed dramatically in the years since she parted ways with him, and though he might remember her, the man she had loved once would probably not recognize the woman she had turned into.

_Still…_

Nagi's thoughts faded away as the door to the Border bar opened. The welcoming bell rang, and a few eyes turned to see who it was. Some people gasped in horror, others stiffened, and still others rubbed their eyes and checked the efficiency of their glasses in disbelief. But there was no denying it: this was Ryoko, and to Nagi's slight surprise, she had came back. The ex-hunter almost smiled as her former enemy silently slithered inside, and without saying a word, Ryoko joined Nagi at her table.

_No turning back now,_ thought both women. They each took in a breath…

"I've been waiting for you, Ryoko," said Nagi blankly. A pause.

"I know… sister." A smirk. Nagi sipped at her coffee.

"So, you've accepted the truth, eh…?" Another pause. Ryoko invisibly nodded her head, and both women kept their eyes pinned to the table beneath them. There was still a noticeable amount of discord and mistrust between them, and even if they had had all the time in the world to think over things, it would still not dismiss the fact that they had once been mortal enemies.

"…Yeah," came Ryoko's flat voice. Nagi took in another deep breath, and at the same time, both pairs of eyes raised up to look into the other's. Nagi and Ryoko had never really gazed into each other's eyes before, at least without hate or malice, and the feeling was rather different and new, to say the least.

Nagi cursed.

"…I had a whole speech planned out," she admitted, keeping her gaze straight. "I was going to say so much, and I was going to express so many things, but when it comes down to it, Ryoko, I have no idea where to start."

"Loser," muttered Ryoko. Nagi snickered.

"A sign of sisterly love?"

"Shove it up your anus." Nagi's snicker turned into laughter.

"You are a strange one, Ryoko," chuckled the former huntress. Ryoko sighed, put her elbow on the table and her head upon her hand, and looked at her… _sister_… with tired golden eyes.

"I had a speech planned out too," she admitted. "I was gonna cuss and scream and yell, but then I got too tired, n' so I just forgot about the whole thing. I'm improvising now." Nagi nodded her head and smiled faintly, and the two women continued to trade glances in the silence of the nearly-empty bar. A few minutes drawled on by without much of anything being conveyed between them. The dam had to burst sometime; it was almost a law. Somewhere, sometime, one of the two women had to break. It was only a matter of who, and when, and how.

Nagi finally bared her soul two minutes later.

"Ryoko… I know that in the past, we haven't had a good relationship. We… were enemies, the worst kind, and I can't think of a time when I didn't want to see you killed."

"Because you thought I killed your parents."

"Right," nodded Nagi. "And I guess I should apologize for accusing you of such a thing, but that's all in the past now. Anyway, my point is, you've retired from your life of piracy, and that princess friend of yours has pardoned you of your crimes, and so now I don't have any reason to chase after you in a blind fury. I… I guess I'm just living in the past, and old habits die hard."

"So what're you saying?" A pause. It was indeed true that Nagi had been living in days long gone by, and she needed to finally move on with her life, but her old ways were tough to kill. It took a lot of humility and courage to say what she said next.

"…Ryoko… my sister… I want us to bury the hatchet, and to start all over again…" Nagi's maroon eyes were now soft, and tender, and even a little warm, and her face was trying to dig up something that resembled kindness, and charity, and innocence. Nagi's hammered voice was no longer so rough and bitter; she spoke softly, and gently, while still keeping a little huskiness for flavor. She was very near to the point of smiling, and Ryoko was never more surprised in her life.

"…You what?"

"…I want us to become the family that we never had a chance of knowing," said Nagi, her voice and her face becoming softer by the minute. Her nervous hand slowly reached for Ryoko's, and though the ex-pirate jumped instinctively, she had grown up to the point where she could handle such an action with surprising maturity. A sigh was released from two women who didn't even realize they were holding their breath, and the tension in the bar lessened.

"…Nagi…"

"I did some research in my spare time," continued the ruby-eyed woman. She lifted her hand off of Ryoko's, and dug into a folder to reveal several sheets of computer-printed paper. On them were statistics taken from a DNA sample of Nagi's hair: connections to any relatives, to be exact. There were four close matches, the parents and the children. Some time ago, Nagi had paid a covert visit to the Masaki house, and asked Washu to print out as much information as she could about the huntress' parents. Nagi never told Washu the reason for her search, but the petite scientist put her questions aside and did as she was asked.

This very same search was the one that led Nagi to discover her true origins, as well as her true connection with Ryoko, startling as it had been. Nagi became horrified at first, but slowly calmed down to the point where she was willing to share the truth with her one-time enemy. It was a terrible decision to make, especially since Ryoko was still a criminal when the search first took place. But Nagi was willing to take the emotional pain, and perhaps deep down inside, she really did want to make peace with Ryoko, and to have a real family, and to live the rest of her life in peace.

"Take a look at this," said Nagi, showing Ryoko the files Washu gave her on her parents. The ex-pirate leafed through them all until she came to two photographs, one of a man and the other of a woman, and her eyes widened a fraction as she looked at them.

"Our parents," explained Nagi, tapping the paper with her finger. "Armand and Anya Stohk, from the planet Tg of the Minida system, somewhere in the Pleiades galaxy."

"I see…" muttered Ryoko, whose entire body was catatonic with wonder. _So… these two people were my parents…… Huh… this woman looks a little like I do, and I guess Nagi takes after her--I mean, our father…_ Ryoko took in a deep breath, and smiled gently as she looked at the people who introduced her into life for the very first time.

"And here's something else I found," said Nagi, showing Ryoko another sheet of paper. "It says here that we're not just sisters, we're _twins_."

"Twins?" parroted Ryoko, her voice oozing over with disbelief. Her face was now twisted in utter and complete--_…no, wait, she's right!_ hissed the ex-pirate mentally. _By God, she's right! I never noticed it before, but Nagi and I look a lot alike!_

"You're kidding," muttered Ryoko, though she believed her _sister_. Nagi smiled, suddenly undid her hairbow, and styled her hair in spikes until it was shaped in the same fashion as Ryoko. If there had been any trace of doubt in the former pirate at all, it quickly left her as she stared in shock at her _sister_. Nagi was almost a mirror image!

"I don't believe it!" whispered the former pirate, her mouth hanging open. Nagi smiled, and tied her hair back to the way it was.

"Believe it… _sis_," she smiled. "We're twins, all right. Nagi and Ryoko Stohk, twin daughters of Armand and Anya Stohk. Oh, uh… just so you know, 'Nagi' isn't my real name."

"It's not?" muttered Ryoko, her voice once again dripping with doubt. "Nagi" smiled and shook her head no.

"No. It's Nanette. My adopted father named me Nanette, and his last name was Gizra, so I just took the first two letters of my name and came up with Nagi." Now, both girls were smiling faintly, and Ryoko's golden eyes shimmered slightly as her _sister_ revealed a well-kept secret.

"Nanette…? It's pretty…"

"Thanks, Ryoko."

"Oh, uh, that's not my real name either," chuckled the ex-pirate. Nagi nearly laughed herself.

"Are you serious? You're not just pulling my leg?"

"No, I'm not. Remember me telling you that I was raised in a church?"

"Yeah."

"Well, the priests there named me Fatima Christina Marcella: after the Fatima, the Christchild, and St. Marcella, which was also the name of the church. So I guess I'm Fatima Christina Marcella Ryoko Stohk." The girls smiled at each other again, and Nagi even let out a small grin.

"It's a beautiful name… But where in the worlds did you come up with Ryoko?"

"I didn't," shrugged "Ryoko" casually. "To make a long story short, I was kicked out of the church and found myself being trained under a woman who was the real space pirate Ryoko, sort of."

"The _what?!_" Nagi suddenly tensed, and nearly bolted out of her chair in a surprise rage. Her hand would have been holding her sword if she had bothered to take it with her. Ryoko calmed her _sister_ down, and explained (as best and briefly as she could) about how the original space pirate Ryoko had passed her torch onto her best and brightest pupil, who in turn kept the legacy of Ryoko until another fine upstart came along. Ryoko then explained that she was the fourth woman to be called that, and to Nagi's surprise, the one that resembled the original Ryoko the least.

"I don't believe it," muttered the huntress. "I just don't believe it…… Of course, it's all very possible. Ha! That suddenly explains why I was so afraid of Ryoko at such a young age! If we were twins, you'd have been about seven or eight by the time I learned of Ryoko, so I must've been hearing about one of the older ones. Well, that makes sense!!" Nagi smiled and even chuckled a little as she muttered to herself; Ryoko, or Fatima, smiled along with her _sister_.

"…So, does this mean that bygones are now bygones?" she asked. Nagi snorted, but still kept her smile.

"Yeah…… I was a fool to hate you for so long, even after you reformed your ways. And to think that all this time, my rage was really aimed at another woman! It really wasn't _you_ I hated at all!" The former huntress slapped the table happily, and stood up out of her seat. Ryoko, somewhat less zealous, had to be coaxed out before she joined her _sister_.

"I just don't believe it!" exclaimed Nagi, her voice losing its hard edge minute by minute. By this time, she sounded like a squealing, giddy little schoolgirl, and though it was strange to hear this tough-as-nails warrior act so bubbly, it was a welcome sight, and Ryoko was lapping it all up.

"This is incredible!" squealed the former huntress again. "Ryoko! …Oh, wow! I… Ach! It's too much to take in! Hahahahahahaha!!!" Nagi broke out in a wonderfully carefree laughter, and even Ryoko had to grin as the former bounty hunter whittled off years and years of loneliness and pain and hate and vengeance, leaving only the true, naked soul in its place. Ryoko had to admit that Nagi's true self, her _real_ self, was a very beautiful and happy thing.

Still caught up in an uncontrollable laughter, Nagi suddenly rushed forth and did the one thing that caught even _her_ off guard. She quickly wrapped her arms around Ryoko, and gave the other woman a powerful hug. Both ladies instantly tensed as their bodies touched, and an old enmity rose up one final time to groan at them. But slowly, maroon eyes found golden eyes, and the girls realized what they were doing, and smiled at each other.

Slowly, carefully, as if they still did not trust each other, Ryoko and Nagi embraced right there in the middle of the bar. At first the hug was cold and careful, but an ancient bond that traced back to their very births was awakened, and gradually, the girls released their hate and malice towards each other, and hugged warmly. Ryoko let out a soft sigh of contentment as she held her _sister_, and Nagi moaned just slightly.

The feeling was somewhat unexplainable. It felt _good_ to be holding each other--no, not good, though it was a positive feeling. Somehow, it felt… not good, but… _right_… It felt _right_ to be embracing, as if that was the way things should have been all along, and up until now, they had never had the chance. But now the long-list _sisters_ were together, and they were slowly discovering the truth, and they were leaving behind their past and their pride for something better, something right, something _real._

Noticing the stares they were getting from the limited patrons, Ryoko and Nagi let out a weak chuckle before explaining things.

"It's okay, we're sisters," said Ryoko, and after the initial shock wore off (few people realized that the infamous space pirate Ryoko had a _family_, much less a sister), the people turned around to attend to their business. When Ryoko looked back, into her _sister's_ face, the only thing she saw was something warm, and kind, and noble, and very, very familiar. She saw her twin, the girl she had been separated from for so long, the sister she never knew she had, and the woman she was starting to love.

"…Hey… Ryoko… Thanks… for calling me sis…" smiled Nagi.

"No problem, Nagi," winked the ex-pirate. Nagi countered with her own wry wink.

"Just call me Nanette, Fatima."

"Blech, I like Ryoko better," gagged the pirate, sticking her tongue out for good measure. Nagi--Nanette--laughed out loud, and gave her long-lost _sister_ another hug. She had to admit, things were going to get a lot more interesting from then on out.

Next chapter: All right!!! The two sisters have finally come to terms and seem to be getting along surprisingly well! That's a relief! Here's to hoping that they spend some time together, catching up on all the things they've missed! But how will the others take this startling news? Or do they even know? It's fun for all ages, next chapter: "No Need for Sisters!" It's unquestionably sweet!


	7. No Need for Sisters!

VII: No Need for Sisters!

Fires were a common sight in Washu's lab, and this one particular flame was caused by a simple breath of air. When Washu blew out an exhausted breath, her reddish hair flew up into the air, creating a kind of aerial flame. This blaze was harmless, and considering Washu's weary condition, there would be no other fires started that day--or perhaps even that week.

The smallish scientist had been dedicating most of her time to downloading information about Ryoko and Nagi. Ever since the unruly bounty hunter had asked Washu to perform a background check of her parents, the little genius had been obsessed with finding out more information on them. The fact that Nagi never knew who her parents were was interesting on its own, but when combined with another shocking discovery that Washu had made……

When Nagi had asked to make a background trace, Washu had expected to find matches with a man and a woman, and then the huntress herself. What she didn't expect to find was that Nagi actually had another close match to her DNA out there--so close, in fact, that this other person was Nagi's twin. To make things even more surprising, the data on this fourth person and the data on Ryoko were perfectly the same. In other words, Ryoko was Nagi's twin sister.

So, Washu had a pretty good reason to be obsessed with all this. Up until recently, nobody had known a whole lot about Ryoko: not her family, not her origin, not even her real name. Tenchi and Ayeka knew a little more than anyone else, but there were secrets about the former space pirate that not even she herself knew--which was why Washu was performing an advanced search. The self-proclaimed "greatest genius in the universe" had dedicated a lot of her time and resources to tracking down these two elusive people, and surprisingly, she didn't come up with a lot--not yet at least.

That would also explain why she was so tired. Washu had spent a lot of time digging up the clues, and while she would sometimes run into something intriguing, most every turn ended up being a dead end, or the clues were false or misleading. But she had patience, and figured that since her computer was extremely advanced (approximately 5,682 years ahead of Earth's technology), she could wait a little while longer.

Besides, there was nothing else to do.

Kiyone had almost made her visits to the terrace a habit of hers, in that she went there every single morning. Most of the time she went by herself, though sometimes Ryoko would show up, and even Mihoshi would be there every once in awhile. But for the most part, she was all alone--she woke up at an early hour to ensure this. Both Mihoshi and Ryoko were infamous sleepyheads, and Kiyone was a morning person anyway, so she took her advantages as they came.

Today, as usual, she was by herself. Kiyone usually just looked out at the beautiful world before her, and allowed her cares to slip away as she gazed at the forest. The land was especially beautiful in spring or autumn, when everything was either in bloom or else an explosion of golden colors. Kiyone always seemed to have one worry or another on her mind, so her visits to the terrace had become quite frequent.

Mihoshi, as usual, was just one of these worries. Kiyone still couldn't stand her scatterbrained partner, and at times genuinely detested the other woman. Mihoshi was very sweet and very kind, and about as pure-hearted as they came, but she had the brain of a two year-old and the attention span and the grace to match. It was difficult to hate her, if one didn't hang around her too long, but after being in close proximity to Mihoshi for so long, it soon became difficult to love her.

Not that Kiyone tried, of course. She was, in a sense, the perfect woman, in that she was so blatantly ordinary and in fact very much human--thus perfectly imperfect. She had a very wide range of emotions, mostly irritation and annoyance, though her love, pity, and guilt could be just as strong. She had a well-developed list of likes and dislikes, and had problems and victories just like any other person. She was good at her primary job but not excellent, and performed well enough around the house.

_I just let my thoughts wander wherever they want,_ she said to herself. Just then, Kiyone finally got some company, and though she usually was not in the best of moods to see Mihoshi, today she felt in too good a mood to rebuke the other woman. Deep down inside--very, very, _very_ deep down inside--Kiyone loved her partner quite a bit, and considered her something of a friend.

"Huuaaaaaaa…… m-morning, Kiyone…" yawned Mihoshi. Kiyone gave her partner a sweet smile and allowed Mihoshi to join her.

"Morning, Meesh. You doing okay?"

"I'm feeling a little woozy in the stomach," replied Mihoshi, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I don't know if I'm sick or just nervous about something. Do you ever get those feelings?" A pause.

"Yeah… all the time…" Mihoshi nodded her head, a smile absent from her face for once, and leaned on the railing of the terrace. Looking out at the peaceful world usually put the police officers in a good mood, and thankfully, today was no exception.

"Maybe you're just not feeling your usual self," suggested Kiyone. Mihoshi shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure it'll pass… Maybe it's just another part of being human." Kiyone softly smiled at her partner's sudden wisdom, and in a moment of friendliness, placed her arm around Mihoshi. The other police officer smiled, and the two of them shared a very rare moment of peace together before heading off to their job.

"…and that's the entire story." Princess Ayeka took a deep breath, and cleared her throat with some water while waiting for everyone else's reaction. She had just informed them about the whereabouts of Ryoko (since Sasami _had_ asked where she was), and although she herself didn't know what had happened, she was the only one that the former pirate had spoken to about the matter, so it fell upon her to tell everyone else.

"I still don't believe it…" muttered Tenchi. "To think that all this time, Ryoko and Nagi were sisters…"

"I heard it and I still don't believe it!" stated Nobuyuki. "Just imagine, Ryoko fighting her sister all that time! It really boggles the mind…"

"I only wish I knew more," sighed Ayeka quietly. "But the poor girl left without saying much of anything. Washu told me where she went, but she's been locked up inside that lab of hers ever since, so I haven't been able to get anything out of her." Suddenly, as if on cue, an explosion of smoke erupted out of Washu's lab, and the house shook a little from the impact. Everybody took one look at the door that led to the woman's lab, then resumed listening to Ayeka as if nothing had happened at all.

"Anyway," said Tenchi, "I hope Ryoko's all right. Her and Nagi might be related, but that doesn't give them any right to like each other. They just might change from bitter enemies to bitter siblings, and nobody would get anywhere after that."

"I beg to differ," said Ayeka wryly. "Ryoko's changed a lot since the old days, and I don't mean our close friendship. She's more of a lady now, and though she may never have much class in her, and I can't blame her for that, you must admit that it's like being with a whole other person." Heads nodded in agreement.

"…But the question remains," spoke Katsuhito. "Is she all right, or do you think we need to help her?"

"It's Ryoko," noted Tenchi. "She can take care of herself. I'd be concerned if it was anyone else, yeah, but…"

"I understand perfectly," agreed Ayeka. "I mean, it's not like we don't care about her. It's just that, well, Lord Tenchi is right. She _can_ handle things on her own. But that does not prevent us from worrying."

"Ahh, worrying'll get you nowhere," said Nobuyuki with a wave of his hand. "I know we're all concerned, but if we keep on fretting like this, then we won't get anything done. I say we just put our faith in Ryoko and try to go about the rest of the day." Everyone agreed with Tenchi's father, and soon disbanded to attend to their individual duties. Sasami would go about her usual homemaker tasks, and Katsuhito would attend to the shrine while his son-in-law went to work. Tenchi would probably work in the field, since he had the day off of school, and Ayeka would…

"Excuse me, Lord Tenchi?" He turned around to see what she wanted.

"Yes, Lady Ayeka?" A pause. Ayeka's cheeks blushed slightly, and she tried to hide the expression on her face with her hand. Even after transforming herself from a snotty brat into a warm-hearted woman, Ayeka still had troubles expressing her feelings toward Tenchi. Fortunately, she was getting a lot better at it.

"…May I speak to you for a moment? …In private? I have something to say."

"Sure," he shrugged, and the two found a secluded place outside to chat.

Next chapter: Yes, I know that was a very short chapter with not a whole lot of development, but its main purpose was to lead on into others, most notably the next four. For now, what do you think Ayeka wants to tell Tenchi? Find out next time in "A New Need". It's unquestionably solemn!


	8. A New Need

VIII: A New Need

Together, Ayeka and Tenchi went outside so they could talk in private. The weather was warm but not overbearingly hot, and since it was near the end of spring, it looked like the wonderful temperature would only get better. There was not even the faintest feeling of chill in the air, so in fact it was a very good idea to go outside.

Ayeka strolled second, following Tenchi to the secluded place. She had a lot of things on her mind, and of course, Ryoko was just one of them. Ayeka genuinely loved her one-time rival, for in her she saw a dear and noble friend, one who would always be there for her even if there was not a soul left in the universe. Sure, Ryoko could be a pain sometimes, but Ayeka had to admit that she was often a heel as well. Besides, Ayeka was incredibly jealous of Ryoko, in a good sense, and secretly wished for the other woman's existence.

And when Ayeka found out that Ryoko was incredibly jealous of _her_… well, it sent Ayeka off the deep end. Never could she have imagined that the former space pirate had ever wanted that sort of life, but she could understand what Ryoko was talking about. After all, who _wouldn't_ want to be pampered and spoiled all the time, and who _wouldn't_ like to have all that riches and power at their fingertips?? It made sense, then, for Ryoko to be jealous, just as it made sense for Ayeka to be jealous of Ryoko's freedom and her wild nature.

So, of course the two of them were now the best of friends, and by this point in time, the Masaki house residents were finally getting used to such a concept. Ayeka and Ryoko really made a wonderful duo, and it was a wonder they never tried their hands at friendship earlier. _Better now than later,_ said Tenchi with his usual innocent smile.

They finally came to a nice level rock, which would be their conversation spot. It was situated directly beneath a shady tree, so the two could've sat there for hours and would've never been affected by the sun. It was a great place to talk, so it was perfect for Ayeka, who had a lot of things to tell Tenchi. Her stomach did flips as they both sat down--she was just not used to this yet, though in time she hoped to get better.

"It certainly is a nice day out!" exclaimed Tenchi. Ayeka smiled in agreement. The dear young man could always find ways to ease the tension, and his simple comment made the princess feel a degree or two better.

"Yes," she said, "it is perfect." A pause. Ayeka took in a deep breath, and tried to calm her still-active nerves. She kind of felt a little queasy about telling Tenchi so much, but it would be best to just let it all out, and go from there.

"Lord Tenchi--"

"You had something you--" Another pause, and they shared a weak smile. "Sorry. Go ahead."

"Thank you. Well, I, ahh…" _Here goes nothing,_ murmured the princess to herself, and she prepared to bare her soul.

"…Lord Tenchi, if it does not bother you much, I would like to talk to you about marriage." Predictably, he made a face and grew nervous. "Now don't you give me that look, I'm serious. Of course, I won't really suggest anything, I'm just saying that I would like to speak to you about this." A pause.

"…Oh. Well, ah, go ahead, I guess." Ayeka had to smile at Tenchi's uncertainty. The poor boy was just a little too simple and innocent for his own good, and Ayeka loved that part of him very much.

"Yes, I shall. Anyway, it has become obvious to me that… ahh, you may still be tied up as to which of us you would like to, ahh… well, you know."

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Ayeka grunted and mentally berated herself for suggesting so much in such a short amount of time.

"…I, uh, that is to say, uhh… I, well, uhh…"

"Go on, it's okay," he assured her. Ayeka took another deep breath, and indeed found it harder than she expected to express herself. Still, she had to do this--if not for herself, then for Ryoko.

"…What I am trying to say…" she said with queenly deliberation, "is that it has become apparent that you will most likely end up marrying either myself or Miss Ryoko." Tenchi swallowed and made another face, but since Ayeka had her eyes closed, she didn't see it. "I know that we are all a little young to be thinking about it, but just hear me out.

"Lord Tenchi, in the past, I would have become quite disgusted if I saw you engaging in lewd acts with Miss Ryoko. I now realize that most of those scenarios were brought on by her, but that is beside the point. What I am trying to say is that… well, I love both of you very much, and… if it came down to it… I honestly wouldn't mind it if you chose her over me." Ayeka swallowed, and slowly opened her eyes to see if Tenchi's reaction was civil or not.

His face was frozen in amazement.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Was that too much information at once? Sorry…"

Silence was her only response. She took another deep breath, and decided just to plow on forward, instead of waiting to hear him out.

"Well, anyway, I just wanted to say that. I must also confess that Ryoko shares the same ideas that I do--that is to say that she would not mind at all if you chose me over her. I, ah… I guess I can attest this new attitude of ours to our new friendship. We've, ahh, become quite close in the past few years, and…… well……… ohh, I'm no good at this!" Letting out a sigh, Ayeka rose to leave, but was stopped when Tenchi took hold of her wrist.

"No… stay for awhile…" he said. Ayeka gazed back down at the man she loved, into his sweet brown eyes, sighed, and obeyed the request of a common boy. Slowly, carefully, Tenchi placed his hand on hers, and silently coaxed her into continuing.

"There is not much else I have to say," she admitted. "I am a princess of Jurai, and you are the grandson of Yosho. If we marry, then it would be a blessing for our land. Jurai would most definitely go through a peaceful era with both of us on the throne, and I know that people everywhere would prosper because of our union.

"But on the other hand, if you marry Ryoko, I am sure that you will also be very happy with her. You would never cease to have a life full of wonder and excitement, and I am sure that I would be able to find another who would be competent enough to rule alongside with."

"I see," he said. Ayeka smiled at his brief response. Tenchi wasn't much of a talker, but he sure knew how to listen. Ayeka was starting to like pouring her feelings out, and since Tenchi allowed her the time to say what she wanted, and the patience to endure it all, it made all pretenses of nervousness and uncertainty vanish away.

"…Miss Ayeka?"

"Yes?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong," he said, "but is it true that on Jurai, a man may have two wives?" Ayeka blushed and even smiled a little as she heard Tenchi mention such a thing, and couldn't help but wonder how long he had been thinking about that.

"Technically, it is," she said. "My father is probably the best example out of them all. But Tenchi, that's usually in effect when there are alliances and mergers to consider. A nobleman of Jurai does not usually wed out of love, but out of duty. If he does take a wife, it's usually because there's one power or another that wishes to form an alliance, thus creating an arranged marriage. Sometimes, there will be two important powers to consider, but these cases are much more rare than the first."

"…So what you're saying… is that… if… you and I…"

"I am not suggesting anything," she said with a faint smile. "I am just saying that if a Jurai nobleman, or noblewoman, marries somebody of high status, then it does the entire kingdom good. And… ahh, do not take this the wrong way, but you are descended from a man of high status."

"So it would--"

"Again," said Ayea with a smile, "I am not suggesting anything." The two paused in their conversation, and stared ahead so they could absorb the information they had said and heard. The basics of Ayeka's soliloquy was that a noble's life was usually based on other people's decisions. Arranged marriages were the norm, and love was almost nonexistent in wedding vows. Since Ayeka was princess, she would most likely marry somebody of high status, which Tenchi fitted quite well. On the other hand, Tenchi could marry whoever he chose, so in fact the whole choice might've been his--if another Jurai noble didn't interfere.

The odds of him marrying both Ayeka _and_ Ryoko were next-to-impossible.

"…I think I understand what you're saying," said Tenchi in a soft voice. "…But, you're also right. It's a little too early to be thinking about such things. I'm still just a young boy, with problems and worries all of my own. Right now I'm still going through life, but I promise…… one day, sometime in the future, I'll consider your deal… okay?" He smiled and chucked Ayeka's chin, and she tried her best to smile back. Tenchi leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and offered to walk her back to the house.

__

Processing… please wait… processing… please wait…

Washu moaned out slightly, resting her head in her arms. She was trying to get some sleep, and since her computer was still active, she didn't want to leave her post for anything. Sasami had been kind enough to leave her a boxed lunch, and since there was a built-in bathroom in the lab, Washu never really had to leave at all. This was okay, though--her research often took precedence over her outside life.

Suddenly, the computer bleeped to life, and several strangely-written phrases popped up on the terminal. The sound of the computer coughing to life woke Washu up, and she muttered and smacked her lips in a weary daze. Suddenly, her emerald eyes read the words on the screen, and slowly widened as the words processed in her mind. She shivered uncontrollably, and froze right in her seat.

A tear streaked down her face as she realized what she was looking at.

"Oh dear God…" she hissed, her voice almost dead from the shock. "What… what is this? It… it can't possibly be…!! No… _NO!!!!_"

Next chapter: Washu seems to have found something really terrifying… but our favorite mad genius just might have to put things on hold for awhile! In the next chapter, Ryoko and Nagi spend some much-needed sister time together! After all, they haven't seen each other in years! Next chapter: "No Need for Adjusting!". It's unquestionably entertaining!


	9. No Need for Adjusting!

IX: No Need for Adjusting!

When the light kills the darkness, a little victory is scored. When the inky shadows of night are banished once again, and light and vision and warmth is restored to the world, then all worries and all troubles seem to evaporate away with their dark counterparts. It was exactly this way when the sun illuminated its warm rays on a sleeping Ryoko, and with a very soft groan, her eyes fluttered open and a smile came to her face.

And all too soon, this smile faded as she found herself lying in bed, inches away from the face of the infamous bounty hunter, Nagi. Ryoko let out a little shriek and jerked away on instinct, but as Nagi stirred from the sound, the ex-pirate let out a sigh of relief and apologized.

"Whoo, sorry… I guess I still have to get used to you…"

"Good morning yourself," muttered Nagi. Both girls stretched out of the covers, popping their limbs and twisting their muscles in almost the same exact movements. "It's okay," grunted Nagi as she stretched. "I'm not used to it either. I guess… it'll take awhile…"

"Yeah." Ryoko and Nagi both dragged themselves out of bed, rubbed their eyes, and called dibs on the shower--Nagi won. While her… sister… was bathing herself (it was still a little strange to think of Nagi as a sister), Ryoko busied herself with cleaning up the hotel room and reading the morning paper. Since officially reuniting in the Border Bar, the two _sisters_ had staked out a nice hotel where they could crash after a day of spending quality time together. Their first day of sisterly bonding went rather sour, but Ryoko was hoping for a better time that day.

Nagi emerged from the shower with two towels on, and warned her _sister_ that the water might not have been as warm as she wanted. Ryoko merely shrugged, and stepped inside to wash herself off. She was slowly getting used to having Nagi as a member of her small family, and although the two ladies no longer held any dissent towards each other, they still found it strange to be in such close quarters with each other.

Ryoko smiled as the warm droplets of water trickled down her body, and she took her time in washing herself. So far, she and her… sister… were faring very well for two people who had been mortal enemies a year ago. Sure, they still had their difficult moments, but at least they were now making an effort to put the past behind them. Ryoko actually liked the idea of having a sister, and even though it wasn't who she initially expected, she was still thankful that there had been a family out there for her.

A family… Ryoko's insides grew warm as the word ran through her mind. A small, tiny tear came to her eye and vanished in the spray of water as she tried thinking of life growing up in a normal family: her father the wise, her mother the kind, her sister the fun, and of course, her self. Holidays, vacations, dinner table conversations, cookouts, barbecues, camping, swimming…… Oh, the things she had missed!

And the more Ryoko grew tearful of these things, the more determined she was to remedy the situation. As soon as she emerged from the shower, she was going to show Nagi--no, she was going to show Nanette a good time!!!

Ryoko emerged from the shower with a surprising ensemble on. Her hair was still tussled up in a towel, but the rest of her defied description. She was wearing a pretty blue dress with a light-blue blouse on, the same that was worn during traditional German fairs (sans bonnet, of course). She looked like a real, genuine lady, even with her hair all made out in spikes, and when Nagi caught sight of her sister in the dress, her eyes bugged out significantly. She was wearing her usual clothes along with her cloak.

"Ryoko?!" she squealed. Ryoko smiled merrily at her sister, and suddenly gave the slightly-taller woman a big hug. Nagi froze as Ryoko put her arms around her, and could only stare ahead in disbelief as a defense.

"…Ryoko…"

"Hi, sis," sang Ryoko, her voice more light and friendly than it had ever been. "Ya like my new drags?" Ryoko released her grasp and smiled back at the other woman with pure innocence and spunk. Nagi's eyes bugged out even more, but she could not prevent the smile on her face.

"…Wow, Ryoko! You, uhh…… you look good!"

"Please, call me Christina!" she insisted. "And _please_, Nanette, please don't wear that God-awful outfit outside! People will think you're some punk or somethin'!" Nagi, who didn't know whether to be amazed at Ryoko's sudden friendliness, or the fact that she was giving hints on clothing, or the fact that she had actually used her real name, simply smiled at her sister and chuckled.

"…If you say so, sis." Ryoko smiled, but this time, t'was Nagi who gave her sister the hug. Ryoko/Christina returned it happily, and the two long-lost twin sisters shared their second heartfelt embrace.

"I'm so glad to have you back, Nanette," whispered Ryoko into her sister's ear. "I'm so, so glad… I think… I think I'm gonna like havin' a family…" Nagi/Nanette smiled, and patted her sister's back gently.

"Me too, Christina. Me too." The sisters smiled and squeezed each other one more time, and then Nagi/Nanette left for a private room, wherein she would finally be rid of the very last traces of Nagi the bounty hunter. When she emerged from the room again, she would be dressed in as much of a pretty and classy ensemble as her sister, and no longer would there be a Nagi or a Ryoko or two enemies, but in their stead, two twin sisters who were starting to like each other more and more.

Nagi--no, it was _Nanette_ now--Nanette and Christina came out of the hotel with their arms linked and their faces beaming. While Christina had on her blue dress, Nanette had a green one, and since the town they were in was a very classy and civilized place, their attire would hardly stand out at all.

Nanette and Christina finally cast aside all their previous feelings for each other that day. They really and truly began to treat each other like sisters and not enemies. Of course, Nanette would always make a joke about how she was the oldest and Ryoko was her little sister, but since neither one of them had much information concerning their birth, it was difficult to determine who had came out first.

Nanette and Christina, both armed with purses full of cash and their individual cabbits, paraded into the square of the town they had stayed in. Their intention was simple: to shop til' they dropped, and to treat each other like sisters the entire day, which they were already becoming good at. At first, one would think that the two ladies would never get along, even with their biological tie, but after seeing them together, one would think that it had always been like that.

Indeed, it felt like an age-old bond had been resurrected after countless years of neglect. It was as if everything was starting to click with the girls; they became fast friends, and by the end of the hour, they were nearly inseparable. Of course, were it not for either one of them being willing to make an effort of reconciliation, they might've still held an enmity with each other, but as it stood, they couldn't get enough of the other.

"Wow, look at this!" whispered Christina in awe, her face plastered against the glass of a candy store. "Nanette, let's buy some candy!"

"Take a look over here, Chrissy!" called Nanette. "They have the most adorable shoes!"

"Aww!! Kittens!" squealed Christina, hoisting a few baby cats up in her arms.

"Meaow-mrowrr!"

"Chaoow-yeaoow!"

"Of course you two can go off by yourselves!" squealed Christina. "Hehehehehe… looking for a little 'private time', eh? Hehehehehe!"

"Don't make too much noise, now," smiled Nanette, rubbing Ken-ohki's head. "And try not to get lost, okay?" The two little lovers agreed to their conditions and hopped out of sight, leaving the twin sisters by themselves for the rest of the day. They sighed and smiled at each other, and never once did it come across to either one of them that they had once hated each other.

"Shall we?" said Nanette, extending her elbow. Christina cheered out a reply, and linked her elbow with her sister's as the two ladies ventured into the town. They stayed in that beautiful little square for hours on end, taking in the sights of the city and drinking in the wonderful flavors it had to offer. There was a giant fountain in the middle of it all, and the road was lined with bricks and not crude asphalt, and there were gorgeous trees and sweet-smelling aromas everywhere. Most travelers looked at the two girls in bemusement, and their puzzlement was dissolved only a little when they explained that they were just two wild and crazy sisters, spending some much-needed quality time together.

"Ooh, here!" squealed Christina, pointing to a karaoke bar. "Let's go here next, Netty!"

"Netty?"

"Just a little pet name for my sweet sister!" sang Christina. Nanette rolled her eyes and threatened to vomit, but her chuckling beat it to the punch. She was then dragged against her will to the karaoke bar, where there was such a sizeable audience that it seemed as if they'd never get a chance to sing.

"It's crowded," murmured Nanette. "You sure you wanna be here, sis?"

"Yeah, sure!" sang Christina, putting her arm across Nanette's shoulders. "Hey, c'mon, you afraid that you're not gonna have a good singin' voice?"

"Well, I, uh--"

"Aah, no problem!" assured Christina. "I can do the singin' if you're uncomfortable with it!"

"Well, I, uh--"

"C'mon!" And with that, Christina dragged her sister up to the stage, where the crowd received the two lovely ladies with whistling and cheering. They both smiled back, though Christina had a little more zest, and a cue from the slightly shorter woman started up the music. Nanette smiled at her sister as the song cued up, and Christina's own face was glowing with so much love that it was almost too much to bear.

"This one goes out to somebody who's very important to me," said Christina, her eyes locked onto her sister's. "…My sister, Nanette." Christina gave her sister a hug, smiled again, and suddenly dove into the song with a ferocious rap.

__

When I heard Miss Washu say that I had a sis,

I knew I'd catch up on times that I had missed

But imagine! My shock when I discovered

It was Nagi, who was my twin and none other!

I was surprised! It was plain, you see

That Nagi and I, we had some enmity!

The best of the worst, is what we were

She hated me and I hated her!

Well we tried, to get along

But then we found, it was just plain wrong!

It was tragic, the way we fought!

But an end to this solution was what Washu sought!

She made Ayeka, who was my worst enemy

Reform her ways and become my friend, you see!

And now we're soulmates, the lady and I,

Though Miss Nagi, I still wanted to die!

But time quelled this horrible storm,

And now the two of us were ready to reform!

Now we're sistas, part of a family!

Oh Miss Nagi, you complete me!

Just the two of us, we can make it if we try, just the two of us… (Just the two of us!)

Just the two of us, building castles in the sky, just the two of us… You and I!

By the time Christina had actually started singing, Nanette was well into the song and was even belting out the tunes with her. Surprisingly, she was an astounding singer, and one would think that in her early years, Nanette had been trained as a vocalist. The song ended with the two of them doing a little dance on the floor, and they bowed once the applause cued up. They stayed in that bar for an hour longer, and even got up to do another song, as per request. This time, Nanette was the one singing. She had chosen a very slow, and very touching melody that was obviously dedicated to somebody very close to her.

The girls went to a very wonderful and slightly pricey restaurant for dinner, and they both chose their favorite dishes (Christina, as a rule, would eat just about anything placed before her, and Nanette had a very liberal diet). They talked, chatted, and laughed the evening away, and slowly began to catch up on all the things that they had missed in life. They had many more years to go, but they were both reasonably young women, and with their previous occupations a thing of the past, they could now devote all their time towards each other.

"I'm really enjoying this day, Nanette," smiled Ryoko, twirling her pasta around aimlessly. Nanette nodded her head in agreement and cut her steak a little more.

"Yeah… At first I thought it would be horrible, but after putting some effort into it, I found out that you're actually a very wonderful person to be with! Christina, I…… well, I just wanted to say… that, uhh…… well… I'm… I'm glad you're my sister." Christina smiled warmly at the heartfelt declaration, and even let out a girlish _Awww!_.

"Nanette… I'm glad you're my sister too… Ha, it sounds a bit funny for me to say that, but'cha know something? I'm starting to like it. I really am! I'm really starting to like having you as a sister!" The two girls smiled again, and although they were receiving a few stares from some of the other diners, they paid them no mind.

Unfortunately, the tender moment would not last forever, as an annoying blaring noise came out from Christina's purse. She snarled and let out a curse, which was apparently aimed directly at Washu.

"That wretched little…" murmured the woman, and she yanked a communicator out of her purse and activated it. Ryoko--that is, the "old" Ryoko--had agreed to carry a two-way communicator with her, just in case Washu had some emergency that came up. The smallish scientist had made it plain that she would research their parents while they were away, and so insisted that the golden-eyes woman carry such a device around. Christina was eager to learn about her real parents, but considering that this was Washu, it could've been anything.

"Yeah, whaddyou want?" she grumbled.

"Ryoko, where are you?!" A pause. Christina made a face that suggested her _true_ feelings towards the redhead.

"Nice talkin' to you too, Washu."

"Ryoko, this is serious!" spat the scientist. "Where are you?!" Christina sighed, and looked to her sister for answers.

"Aarnkaard."

"Some planet named Aarnkaard. I dunno, I think it's close." A pause. Christina shrugged when her sister made an inquisitive face.

"…Yeah, you're close," came Washu's voice after awhile. "Listen, Ryoko, I don't care what you're doing right now, just please! Come over here as quickly as you can!"

"What's the deal? Didja find something about our parents?"

"You could say that," said Washu flatly. "Just please, come back here right away! I don't care what it takes, just… please!"

"Washu--"

"_Please!!_" begged the scientist. The mere tone of her voice was enough to get Christina concerned, and when the connection was suddenly cut off, her boiling curiosity was risen even more.

"What was that?" asked her sister. Christina let out a showy sigh and shook her head.

"I don't know," she said, "but I've got a bad feeling about this…"

Next chapter: So just what has Washu discovered? Is it really so important that she'd be willing to break up this reunion? She sounds far too serious to be pulling any pranks, and she sure did sound petrified in the last chapter! So what's the deal? Coming up next chapter, "No Need for a History Lesson!". It's unquestionably engrossing!


	10. No Need for a History Lesson!

X: No Need for a History Lesson!

Any normal spacer would be inclined to cross their eyebrows in massive confusion if they saw the small convoy of Ryo-ohki and Ken-ohki flying through space together. After all, the two ships housed a pair of the most infamous characters in all the universe, who (up until a few days ago) had been the worst of enemies. But if they found out that the two pilots of the cabbit-ships were not only on good terms but also _related_ to each other, then there would probably be a few failing hearts here and there from the shock of it all.

Nagi and Ryoko--or as they were now calling each other, Nanette and Christina--were flying together across the galaxy for one purpose, and that was to return to the Masaki house. They had just recently began to undergo their bonding process, and so far they were becoming very close, and they probably would have spent all day in celebration and revelry if _some_ annoying redheaded little scientist hadn't interrupted them.

Said scientist, the "universe's greatest genius" Washu, was infamous for her practical jokes, pranks, and tricks--as well as her faux naïveté when asked about such matters. But when she interrupted the two girls, she had been horribly serious about the matter--so much so that even Ryoko grew concerned (but just by a little). In fact, Washu's act had been so convincing that she had been able to tear the two girls away from their fun and thus causing them to fly towards Earth in close formation.

Of course, even if this were explained to the normal spacer, they'd still be confused.

Earth was only a small leap away from the planet where Nagi and Ryoko had spent much of their time together, so they made it in only two or so hours. The two sisters had held a friendly race as they traveled towards Earth (which would explain why they took both cabbits instead of just using one), and so far, they were both neck-in-neck. Even as they made the descent towards the blue planet, the two cabbit-vessels were dead even, and it would've taken a very skilled eye to determine who touched down first.

In any case, Ryoko and Nagi's arrival had caused only a slight stir, since Washu had told everybody else in the house about their homecoming. Ever since she made her discovery, the little scientist had been on wit's end, and perhaps if one looked closely, one would find a white hair hidden inside her vermilion locks. Her worried state led to everyone else in the Masaki house being worried as well, and so here they were, waiting outside, hoping that it wasn't just Ryoko and Nagi being their old selves again.

Ryoko emerged from her vessel first, still wearing the blue frilly dress she had bought on that other world. Nagi came out next, also with her dress, and the two women smiled the exact same Cheshire Cat grin as they saw a small horde of women and three men waiting for them. Tenchi and Ayeka both let out a sigh of air as they saw that Ryoko was safe and sound.

"Hi!" she sang. "Didja miss me?!"

"…We're glad to see that you're okay," said Tenchi. "Ever since Washu told us about you two, we've been really worried." Ryoko gave her only love a quizzical look and mutely demanded to know what he was talking about. Noticing her friend's confusion, Ayeka elaborated.

"We were worried that you and Miss Nagi would…… not get along very well… It, ah, seems as if our fears were a waste of time, I hope." Another confused look from Ryoko--and then, a weak and joyless smile.

"…Oh, I see… You thought… we were gonna…"

"Yes." A chuckle.

"Sorry we hadja worried there, princess," shrugged Ryoko. "I guess you have the right to be suspicious. But see, Nanette and I are really close now! We've buried that hatchet ages ago!" And to prove it, Ryoko floated over and gave her sister a rough hug, which was returned roughly. However, Ryoko's confused look was now passed on to the others.

"Nanette?"

"It's my real name," said Nagi smugly. "I don't know what my birth-parents named me, but the guy who adopted me called me Nanette. I guess, since I'm retired from bounty hunting, I can take on that name again." Heads nodded in slow understanding, and even a few smiles came out.

"It's a nice name," whispered Kiyone. "And how about you, Ryoko? Do you have a 'real name'?"

"Actually, yes," she said. "The guys that took me in named me Fatima Christina Marcella, but if you don't mind, I'd rather be called Christina. I really hate my first name." A pause. Ryoko's face turned red as she heard a few people trying desperately to hold back a snicker.

"C-Christina?" scoffed Mihoshi. She almost let the dam burst, but thankfully controlled herself just long enough to resume speaking. "_Christina?!_ _That's_ your real name?!"

"Yeah, so?!" snarled Ryoko. "You got a problem with that?!"

"Oh no, no, I'm sorry!!" spat the officer, suddenly transforming into an apologetic and serious woman. "It's, uh, it's a, uh, a very nice name! Honest!" Ryoko made a face, snorted, and crossed her arms as she glared at the officer. Thankfully, reliable Tenchi stepped in to soothe the savage beast.

"I think it's a lovely name," he said. "…And I can see you being called that in real life." Ryoko's nasty face grew gentle almost instantly, and there probably would have been a scene if Washu didn't intervene. With a wave of her hand, she separated the crowd and coolly stepped up towards the two sisters.

"Ahem! If you all don't mind, I'd like to get straight down to business!" she huffed. An aura of gravity and seriousness fogged up the air, and even Mihoshi grew attentive as Washu proceeded to explain about the situation at hand.

"So what kind of business do you mean?" asked Nagi. Her sister expressed a similar question.

"Yeah! Why _did_ you drag us all the way out here, huh?! I'd like to know what's so frickin' important that'cha have to have us here!" Washu allowed a brief dramatic pause before she looked up at the sisters, and held up her finger to gain everyone's attention.

"I really am sorry for interrupting you like that," she said softly, "I really am. If this were any other circumstance, I'd just brush it off and let you two have your fun. But ladies, and gentlemen, this matter is so absolutely urgent that I believe even the Emperor of Jurai would drop all his business to hear it."

"So what exactly is this business you're talking about?" asked Ayeka.

"Yeah, c'mon Washu!" begged Tenchi. "Don't leave us in the dark forever!" While Washu would've normally chuckled under such words, this time even her mischief had left her. Silently, she turned around and beckoned everybody to follow her.

"Come with me to my lab," she said. "It would be better to show you there. Oh, and Ryoko? Nagi? This has to do with your parents… and yourselves… But more importantly, the fate of the entire universe just may hang in the balance."

"Oh," muttered Ryoko, "so it's one of 'those' things. _Great_."

With everyone cramped inside her lab, Washu had just enough room to dominate the computer and its control panel. Like the stereotypical mad genius, her fingers glided across the keyboard like a pianist playing their instrument for a concert. Indeed, it was almost humorous the way some of the keys made sounds similar to keyboard notes. Music aside, Washu's typing soon caused the screen before her to flash up several words and pictures, most of them indecipherable.

"Take a look at this," she began. "Ever since I stumbled across Nagi and Ryoko's little secret, I've been spending most of my time doing research on their family line. Up until recently, I haven't come up with a whole lot, but with a little patience, I've managed to dig up a few… rather startling clues." In accordance to her speech, several other pictures and words also erupted on the screen, most of them focusing on a lush planet.

"The world you see before you is called Tg," she pointed. "Right now, it's in a lot of turmoil and oppression, but back around the time before Nagi and Ryoko's birth, the place thrived. In fact, the change was so dramatic that many residents fled the planet and swore to never come back until things settled down. Unfortunately, it's been in this oppressive state ever since the two of you were born."

"That's bizarre!" exclaimed Kiyone. "So are you telling us that because Ryoko and Nagi left, this place was thrown into the dumps?"

"No, no, no!" spat Washu irritably. She let out a sigh to match her mood, and rubbed a very annoyed forehead. "Oy, the things I put up with! You didn't pay attention to what I was saying at all!!" A pause.

"……Sorry." Washu shrugged.

"Ehh… Anyway, from what I gathered, Tg fell into ruin _before_ Nagi and Ryoko left. I hypothesized that they left _because_ the place was going into ruin. Jeez! They were only babies at the time! They couldn't have _possibly_ influenced the fall of Tg with their disappearance, no matter _what_ the consequences!"

"I said I was sorry!" sulked Kiyone. Washu let out a grumble, but before she could go on with her lecture, it seemed as if Nagi had a question.

"Yes?"

"So that's our home, right?" A twitch of the eye…

"My my, haven't we been paying attention…" Nagi flashed Washu an exceptionally nasty look, one so vile it made the scientist sweat a little and smile. "Ah hehehe… sorry! Anyway, yeah, you two were born here, but apparently you didn't stay for very long. _Something_ forced you to be evacuated."

"And this 'something' was why you called us over, am I right?" asked Ryoko. Washu nodded her head.

"Correct! Now, if you'll promise not to ask any more ridiculous questions, and if everybody swears that they won't suddenly piss in their pants, then I'll tell you what's the cause behind Tg's decay." Needless to say, Washu's mouth got her in trouble again, and almost everybody there glared at her for one reason or another.

"_What did you just say?!_"

"Hey, hey, go easy on me!" she said, holding her palms in front of her for protection. "I'm just warning you that what you're about to see and hear is so frightening that _I_ almost soiled myself!" Once again, Washu had revealed a little too much information, and now literally everyone looked to be a little sickened. The childish scientist grinned despite her language, and resumed her lecture.

After typing in several short strokes, a terrifying image flashed up on the screen. Almost every single hair in the entire room bristled or else stood on end, and nearly everybody found themselves woozy in the stomach. The image before them was that of a dragon, as big as a whale and as frightening as a thousand vipers. It had ten wings, with ten bullish horns sprouting out of its head and four eyes on its head. The dragon had two tails, four forearms and four rear arms, a single head with a mouth full of razors, and was completely colored in the purest white hue.

"What you are looking at is a one-of-a-kind beast," said Washu after allowing a pause. "This is no ordinary dragon--in fact, it's not even an ordinary creature. There's not a whole lot of information about this thing, but I can tell you that it has enormous powers--powers so great and mighty, that it can lay waste to entire civilizations without ever having to fight. It's the Great White Dragon, Pandemonium."

An understandably long pause hovered in the conditioned air.

Only Ayeka, Nagi, Ryoko, and Washu had ever heard about such a beast, and then they had only heard the slightest wisps of rumors. Ayeka heard that the creature had the power to conquer worlds without destroying anything; Nagi heard that Pandemonium was a slayer of kingdoms; Ryoko had heard of a vicious demon that was immortal and nearly indestructible; Washu only knew what her computer told her, but that was far too much information for one person to hold. Almost all the rumors were in fact true, especially the most unbelievable ones.

"…What… is it exactly?" whispered Tenchi. Washu shrugged.

"I have no idea. Pandemonium isn't filed under any classification, except for the 'Unidentified' category. But there is something I do know about it. Nagi!"

"Hm?"

"Did you say that your adopted father claimed that Ryoko was the one who killed your parents?"

"Yeah… but I know that's not really true now."

"That's right, it's false," said Washu, holding up a finger. "You see, Nagi… Ryoko… this monster here, the white dragon you see before you…… _He_ was the one who killed your parents!"

"**_No way!!!!!_**"

"I'm afraid so," sighed Washu. Once again, the little scientist turned around to refer to her notes she had gotten from the computer. "From what I could figure out, Pandemonium paid a little visit to your planet right around the time you two were born. Using his immeasurable powers, Pandemonium was able to stir up a civil war on Tg, and it seems as if your parents were among those who wanted to prevent such bloodshed. Normally, Pandemonium does not kill his victims, but this time he made an eager exception."

Both Nagi and Ryoko, who by this time were almost as white as the demon on the screen, took several steps back in horror. They had not only learned about their home planet's fate in such a short amount of time, but also of the truth behind the legendary White Dragon, _and_ its involvement with their parents' true demise. To be able to handle so much information at once was overwhelming, and it was a miracle that the two women didn't faint right there on the spot.

Sensing their shell-shocked feelings, Tenchi and Ayeka caught them as they fell back. The two women barely noticed the others as they stared in horror at the dragon; they were far too mesmerized in such a grisly surprise. Nagi, especially, was in a shock, for up until a year or two ago, she had sworn that it really was Ryoko who had murdered her parents. Having Ryoko as a sister ripped that idea apart, but now that she was learning so many things at such a fast speed……… It was remarkable!

"…I'm sorry," whispered Washu, who didn't need her eyes to see just how horrified the two women were. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I know it's not much, but…"

"I want that dragon dead," snarled a voice; whom it belonged to was uncertain. Whoever it was, they caused everyone else to turn around and stare. "…I want that thing dead." Washu, understandably enough, was taking things with a little more logic.

"You're suggesting the impossible," she said. "Literally speaking, not one of us stands a chance against that thing. Besides, even if we _could_ fight it, nobody has any idea where it could be right now…"

"I don't care!!" shouted Ryoko, and Nagi yelled almost the same thing. "I don't care! That thing destroyed my life--it destroyed _our_ lives!!! Do you know what kind of live we could've led if that thing never came into existence??! HUH? Do you?! Do you realize that maybe--just _maybe_--we would've had a normal existence?! That we would've lived together as sisters should, and we wouldn't have to go through such horror and pain and hatred?! That… that _monster_… has caused two twin sisters to _hate_ each other! It has done something inexcusable, and I personally don't care if it takes me all my life, or even if it _does_ take my life, _I am going to kill that beast!!!!!_"

Of course, after her passionate speech, there was a thick silence.

"…Hold on just a second," said Washu, her voice making everyone in the room very annoyed. "I'm just saying that we _shouldn't_ go out and fight Pandemonium. I never said that we _won't_."

"………Huh?" Washu's evil smile returned to her face, and the genius even let out a cackle.

"Yeah, you heard me! We definitely should not go out and face that monster, but that doesn't mean that we won't do it anyway! HA!" Ryoko and Nagi both gave her a surprised look.

"…You mean… You'll actually let us go?"

"Duh!" sang the scientist. "Did you honestly believe that I'd demand that you two sit here and do nothing, especially after I told you everything? HA! Hahahahaha! Oh, God, you've _got_ to know me better than that!!" Washu then burst out into another one of her maniacal laughing fits, and for the first time ever, Ryoko was glad that she was insane.

"…So… you'll let us go after him?"

"_Let_ you?" she parroted. "Darling, I'm going to go _with_ you!! Why, that beast is indirectly responsible for trashing one of my colleague's labs, not to mention he scarred the planet where I grew up, _plus_ he ravaged several academies I went to! Ryoko, hon, I've got as much reason to wanna see him dead as you or Nagi!!" Ryoko actually smiled at Washu, which in itself was a miracle, but before the genius could receive any praise for her discoveries or her aid, she held up her finger and demanded further audience.

"…But that's not all, my dears," she said. "Ho no, not in the least! You see, your parents, Armand and Anya Stohk, they were killed because… well… let's put it this way: let's say that they were… _involved_… with their world."

"What does that mean?" asked Tenchi. "Were they important people?" from out of nowhere, a smile attacked Washu's mouth, and not even a ravaging depression could've wiped it off.

"…You could say that," she managed. Nagi noticed the smile and asked about it. "…Oh… nothing… It's just… nothing, that's all…"

"No, tell us!" insisted the former hunter. "What do you find so amusing about our parents' deaths?"

"Oh, it's not amusing in the least!" insisted Washu. "It's just that… just that…" Up until now, Washu's efforts to prevent an outburst of laughter were met with little success, but now the dam broke and Washu was on the floor, laughing so hard that she cried. Needless to say, this annoyed even Sasami, which meant that Ryoko and Nagi were well beyond the point of being pissed.

"Shut up!!!" roared Nagi. "What the devil is wrong, you freak?!?!?"

"It's about your… your… your _parents!!!_" screamed Washu through her giggles. Nagi and Ryoko gave each other confused glances before glaring back down at Washu.

"Explain yourself, you freak!" snapped Ryoko. "What in Hades is so funny!?" Even after receiving bitter words, Washu was still rolling on the floor, laughing her guts out, but at least she was making an effort to calm down. She slowly grew more serious, and gradually, her laughing decreased until it was only her lack of breath that prevented her from going on.

"Ha… ha… just a second…" she wheezed. "…Ha… ha… gimme… some time… ha… ha…"

With her breath now all caught up, Washu was finally ready to clue Ryoko and Nagi in on the identities of their parents--and in turn, their own identities.

"Okay, here's the scoop in a nutshell," she began. "Your mother and father, Armand and Anya Stohk, were very powerful, very influential, and very well-respected people. They owned a lot of companies and a big piece of valuable property, and they even had a political voice. Ladies, I know this is going to be hard to believe, but get this--your parents were _multi-millionaires!_ Yeah! Which means that, unless there's been some disloyalty in their servants, you two are the rightful inheritors of the Stohk family fortune!!"

"WHOA!!!" shrieked the two women, their faces both flung wide open in amazement. "You mean to tell us that we coulda been rich all this time!" Washu nodded her head and hummed in affirmation.

"But that's not all," she said, and once again, the snicker threatened to break out. "…Your parents were the kind of people whom even the Emperor could rub elbows with. They were very well-known and loved, and they had a very high status. They were so high up on the ladder that if Pandemonium hadn't invaded, then you two would've probably went to the same schools as Ayeka and Sasami. Your parents were _nobles,_ and since the two of you are their offspring, then… as strange as it sounds… Ryoko, Nagi… _you two_ are nobles as well!!!"

The end reaction was an understandable one.

Everyone in the entire room, from Tenchi to Ayeka, from Kiyone to Mihoshi, even Sasami and Ryo-ohki… every single one of them had their mouths hanging wide, wide open in ultimate shock.

In short… well… they were caught off guard.

Their mouths hung open for almost a whole minute, in which Washu kept nodding and humming to herself, almost as if to say, "Yes, I know what you're feeling, and as weird as it sounds, it's all true!". And then, after nearly sixty whole seconds of silence, someone began to snicker, and then another person, and soon the entire room was filled with people bowled over in laughter. In fact, the only ones who weren't even smiling were the two sisters, Ayeka, and Tenchi (and Washu).

"HEY!!!!" Washu shouted out loud and slapped her hands together hard so she could stop everyone from laughing. "Listen," she said once their smiles faded, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but I assure you that everything I say is true! Ryoko and Nagi--or Christina and Nanette, per se--are nobles by birth. Interpret that as you will, just make sure you understand it to be the truth." Washu's passionate glare and powerful words brought even Mihoshi to gravity; Ryoko and Nagi, meanwhile, were so shell-shocked that maybe nothing would've broken their trance.

"…Nobles… I find that hard to believe…" muttered Ayeka. She glanced over at the sisters, who were still paralyzed with shock, and sighed. If what Washu was saying was true, and at that moment Ayeka would believe anything, then there really _was_ a possibility that she could've grown up with them, and would've been friends for life. Not only Ryoko would've been there, but Nagi as well, and maybe--just maybe--Ayeka would've had a slightly better childhood.

Of course, one certain tyrannical dragon had made that arrangement impossible, and the pure-hearted princess was soon filled with an angry justice and a pure rage. She loved Ryoko dearly and was just now starting to like Nagi, and to be denied a wonderful past with two such wonderful comrades was an inexcusable act. With her fist balled up, Ayeka stepped forward and declared her next decision.

"Miss Washu, I am going to go with you!!" Before anyone could even stare at her, she continued her passionate tirade. "That dragon has stolen so much in such a short amount of time: your life, their life, and even a part of my life! I cannot let such an evil roam around for all of eternity, and I don't care whether you approve or not--_I am going to go with you and kill this beast!!!_" Ayeka was a mass of anger and purity and justice, and everyone in the room had to admire her for these traits.

"Then I'll go, too," said Tenchi, smiling at the women. "If I don't do something to help, it'll be like I'm actually supporting such carnage. I can't sit by and do nothing!"

"If you're going, then let us go as well!" stated Kiyone. "As Galaxy Police Officers, it is our sworn duty to serve and protect, and what better way to do this than to help destroy a ferocious demon like this!!!"

"……Uhh… roger!" saluted Mihoshi. One by one, everyone in the room smiled as more and more volunteers joined the cause. Even Sasami begged to tag along, but wereit not for the pleading of Ryo-ohki, the girl would've stayed behind. Azaka and Kamidake volunteered to go as well, leaving Katsuhito and Nobuyuki to stay behind and keep things running normally in the house and shrine. Ryoko, more than anyone else, was beaming for joy after hearing so many people rally to her cause. She breathlessly thanked each one of them, especially Tenchi and Ayeka.

"Thanks, princess," she sighed, rubbing her cheek against the girl's shoulder. "This really means a lot to me."

"Just consider this a favor from one high-class citizen to another," smiled the princess. Ryoko chuckled a little, kissed Ayeka's cheek, then devoted her affections to Tenchi. The young man smiled back at her with the confidence of a prize fighter and the strength to match, but he still had the gentleness of a farmer boy, with the innocence to boot.

"Don't mention it," he said as she thanked him. "It was, uhh… the least I could do." Ryoko smiled cattily at her only love, pressed her finger to his chest gently, and made it very plain to him that now that she was nobility, he could very well end up marrying her and making a powerful alliance with a well-respected family, all at the same time. Of course, since the concept of marrying Ryoko was quickly becoming a reality, Tenchi blushed all the more.

Next chapter: …Sooooooo, I bet nobody saw that coming, eh! Ryoko and Nagi part of the nobility… Makes you wonder, makes you laugh, makes you say "_Hmm!_" By the way, I'm sorry for the delay, but I've been on a short vacation, plus I'm bogged down by other stories. No guarantees on when the next chapter will be up, but when it is, it'll be a doozy! Next chapter, "No Need for a Road Trip!" It's unquestionably adventurous!


	11. No Need for a Road Trip!

XI: No Need for a Road Trip!

In no time at all, the entire crew was busying themselves loading up supplies. It had been decided that _Yagami_ would be the vessel used to uncover the mystery of Pandemonium, after much deliberation on Nagi and Ryoko's parts. Their two cabbits would most likely want to spend time with each other, and since the mechanical vessel would never tire out in the same way as the two organic ships, then it made sense to use it. Besides, it had more room to it, and the pilots of _Yagami_ didn't have any plans of "catching up on old times".

It took Tenchi and all his lady-friends the better part of an hour to load everything up. Ayeka and Sasami had the most bags to pile up, whereas Nagi could carry everything she wanted in her arms. Ryoko had also brought every little thing she "needed", and after Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Washu loaded up, poor Tenchi hardly had any room to even move around, let alone the space to unload his baggage.

"How much stuff is in these bags, anyway?!" he questioned out loud. Nagi advised him that it was better to not know; Ryoko insisted that every last convenience was important (in her usual seductive voice, naturally). No matter whose opinion was best, the fact of the matter was that everyone seemed prepared for a very long and very exhausting road trip in space.

The purpose of such a journey was to dig up as much clues about Pandemonium as possible. Pandemonium was a terrifying white dragon whose power was so great that it did not even have to fight to conquer worlds. From what Washu could determine, Pandemonium was not only the cause of so many planets' downfalls, but it was also directly responsible for toppling the sisters' home world as well as Washu's, and it had even killed Ryoko and Nagi's parents. Such a creature could not be allowed to exist in the universe, so Ryoko and Nagi both brought it upon themselves to avenge their parents and eliminate such a threat.

But not even Washu knew where to find this beast. Her first guess would be to look around Tg, which was Nagi and Ryoko's home world, but then she theorized that, unless it was a wild cosmic twist of luck, Pandemonium would not have stayed on the world, and would probably be elsewhere, causing the chaos that was synonymous to his name. Tg would be a nice place to start looking, but unless there were some new clues there, or a survivor that could help them out, it would otherwise be a waste of time to visit the world.

And as much as Nagi and Ryoko wanted to see their home planet, it probably wouldn't be a good idea in the long run. The world had been devastated by war and discord, or so Washu learned, and would probably not be the beautiful metropolis that it had been in the past. Besides, there would probably be nobody there that would remember the Stohk name, and if there were, odds were that they were probably disloyal.

"But don't worry!" assured the scarlet-haired scientist. "We'll definitely go there someday!" For the time being, however, they had to hop around in search of clues. Nobody on Earth would know about Pandemoinum, so the trip had to start out in space, and since nobody knew just how long this would take, everyone was expected to pack up everything they thought necessary, and this was where they were right now.

…Well, they _were_ there a few hours ago, but now, they were in space, just passing Neptune. The _Yagami_ was brutally fast compared to an Earth-ship, and since it was GP standard issue, it could also hold its own against the more advanced vessels from Jurai, Morosia, the Prima worlds, and perhaps even Megalopolis (however unlikely). Therefore, it could easily skip over the entire Solar System in the time it took Mihoshi and Nagi to take separate showers.

Being stuck on a GP-issued ship with seven women would normally be the stuff that fantasies were made of. What man wouldn't give up a finger, or a limb, to be stuck in the middle of a cramped ship with seven beautiful ladies? Unfortunately, poor Tenchi had gotten so accustomed to living with these girls that he now felt even more beleaguered than before. He had enough problems with Ryoko and Ayeka already (no matter _how_ friendly they were towards each other), and Washu and Mihoshi were always a handful. Sasami and Kiyone were perhaps the only ones Tenchi could really endure, and as for Nagi…… well, she mostly just goofed off with Ryoko.

Poor Tenchi rarely got any privacy now that half of _Yagami_ was stuffed with belongings and the other half either had girls running around them or else were inaccessible. Perhaps the only place he really found himself isolated was the bathroom, but since there was only one bathroom and eight passengers, things usually got hairy anyway.

As Tenchi tried finding time for himself, all the other girls usually hung around in the main lounge room. Kiyone and Washu took turns piloting the vessel, so their appearance in the room was never guaranteed, but everyone else was there all the time. The girls usually engaged in rather loud and confusing conversations, most of them focusing around the latest gossip or some romantic interest. Nagi was perhaps one of the more sane people on board, so her stories mostly revolved around her escapades "in the old days".

"I look back on those days with mixed feelings," she would usually begin. "There were plenty of 'good old days' to brag about, but for the most part, the life of a bounty hunter was a lonely one. I mean, I had Ken-ohki and all, but…… for the longest time, I would always have a hole in my heart. Something was missing from my life, and no matter how thrilling or exciting the hunt became, I would always end up going home with a burden on my shoulders."

"Do you think you were lonely because of Ryoko?" asked Sasami. Nagi pursed her lips in thought.

"Now _there's_ a thought. You know, I guess you're right, kid. I mean, back then, I hated Ryoko passionately, but… it's funny… I never really felt bad or alone when I was with her. Even during those times that we fought to the death, I would always have a good sensation deep down inside of me--like I only really felt alive whenever I was around her."

"I felt the same way," noted Ryoko with a shake of her head. "My life as a wandering space pirate might've been fun, but I was always by myself. I guess I got so pathetic that I actually looked _forward_ to running into somebody: GP, bounty hunters, the Jurai royal navy, it didn't matter. Whenever I was close to somebody, anybody, I always felt more alive, more like _myself_…" She then smiled and turned towards Ayeka.

"The princess and I were mortal enemies," she stated, as if that wasn't obvious already. "But even then, in a sadistic, masochistic sort of way, I kinda liked it whenever we ran into each other. Oh, don't get me wrong, I hated her guts back then--but you know what they say! 'Sometimes your enemy can be your greatest lover', or whatever."

"Greatest _what?!_" shouted Ayeka angrily. Ryoko chuckled out loud.

"I didn't mean it like _that_, highness! I just meant… uh, you know… 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'!" Ayeka pursed her lips and gave her friend an icy but emotionless glare.

"Ryoko… …Ah, never mind… It's useless talking to you."

"Admit it, you liked being around me too, back in the day," sang the woman slyly. Ayeka's face turned red and she snorted a little.

"Hmph! I absolutely detested you in those days! I lived solely to see you brought to justice! I would not have brought myself to be within ten systems in your vicinity if I could help it!"

"And yet you were insanely jealous of what I had," sighed Ryoko dreamily. Ayeka sighed and shook her head wearily.

"…Oh, Ryoko… you can be such a bother sometimes…" The former space pirate laughed out loud, slamming her fist on the floor several times in an uncontrolled riot. Ayeka gave her friend a civil smirk, shook her head, and gazed at Nagi.

"Are you sure you're related to her?" she asked.

"Perfectly sure," replied the former huntress. "Ryoko might be a pain in the neck sometimes, but it's as plain as day that we have the same bloodline. C'mon, give the girl a break, princess. You know you love her to pieces."

"Well of course!!" countered Ayeka. "But you know that even soulmates must grow annoyed with each other from time to time!" Nagi shrugged and gave her rolling sister a few gentle kicks.

"…Hey, Ryoko? It wasn't that funny."

"Sorry," chortled the ex-pirate, who was laughing so hard that she had been crying. "It's just that… just that… hahaha… just that, Ayeka can be so cute when she's annoyed!!" The wild woman continued laughing for some time, but she finally calmed down just long enough to give her former enemy a warm smile. Ayeka, who never could stay mad at the woman for long, especially when she had that look on her face, shook her head and brought Ryoko into her embrace.

"Moron, moron, moron," muttered Ayeka, giving her friend a love-tap on the head with each word. Ryoko giggled.

"I love you too, you crazy princess." She grinned, and apologized for being a pain, and Ayeka forgave her, and another explosion sent black clouds of smoke into the room. Apparently, Washu was onto something.

"…What _is_ she doing in there?!" barked Nagi, waving the smog away as she coughed. Mihoshi hacked out the answer.

"I… (cough, cough) don't think… (cough, cough) that we should… (COUGH, cough!!)…… know!"

"Idiot," hissed Ryoko, fanning the smoke away. "If she keeps this up, then we'll all die of smoke inhalation!" The girls continued to cough and wave the black air away, until finally things cleared up, and a charred Washu emerged from her lab with an amazed look on her face. She stood still for a brief moment, her entire body dark from smoke, and waited for the inquisitive faces to mentally ask her what she had been doing. She didn't have to wait very long.

"Hehehe… Science can be so cruel sometimes!"

By the time the girls had settled down long enough to classify as being civil, it was already pretty late in the day. Sasami made dinner as usual, but what surprised everyone was how well _Nagi_ could cook as well. Apparently, all those years of living alone had forced her to make all her meals herself. Nagi was very critical of her meals, thus everything she made was compatible to her very picky tastes. She gave Sasami a run for her money, and everybody complimented her.

After dinner, most everybody settled down from their activities, which finally left Tenchi to be at peace. Ayeka and Nagi began to spend some private time together, since up until then, they really hadn't had much in the ways of communication, and Ryoko flew towards the cockpit. There, she found Kiyone enjoying a very rare moment of peace and quiet (since Mihoshi had been wisely placed "somewhere" in Washu's lab), and sat down in the copilot's chair to have a chat with the officer.

"Hey, Ryoko," smiled the woman. "What brings you up here? I don't see you having the desire to speak with me very much." Ryoko dismissed her words with a silent, lazy wave of her hand, and slouched so much that her back was now where her bottom should've been.

"…Hey, Kiyone, I got a question for you."

"Hm?" The GP's face was indication enough that Ryoko should continue.

"I've always wondered about something," said the former outlaw. "How come you never tried to put me under arrest? I mean, there was that one time, but after that… you sorta just gave up on it. So why did you just suddenly quit?" Kiyone, who had been taken completely by surprise, could only stutter in a foolish attempt to answer the question.

"I, uh… uh… well, uh, what do you mean?"

"I mean, why didn't you ever try and arrest me? I mean, I can understand why you're not booking me now, but…" Trailing off, Ryoko gave the officer a lazy look, whereas Kiyone still couldn't think of an answer. Yes, Ryoko was right: there had been more than enough windows of opportunity for her to make a bust, and yet Kiyone only seemed to take advantage of this one or two times, at the most. It seemed that after she settled into her apartment with Mihoshi, all desire to bust Ryoko had left her.

Kiyone was obviously more skilled at her line of duty than Mihoshi, and even though she had been dealing with the galaxy's most infamous criminal, she _probably_ could've arrested her if she _really_ wanted to. Mihoshi would be more of a hindrance than a help, but her clumsiness and her dumb luck just might've tipped the scales even more. So why hadn't she ever gone through the trouble of putting Ryoko behind bars? Kiyone thought about it for a good while, then finally sighed out her answer.

"I don't know, Ryoko. To be honest, I really don't know."

"Do you not have a reason, or--"

"I told you, I don't know," sighed the officer wearily. "I guess I might've been too busy, or else too ashamed to make any reports to Headquarters. But what does it matter now? You've been pardoned by Ayeka and now I hear you're a member of the nobility. Oh well, eh? I guess you'll always be known as 'the one that got away'." Kiyone smiled dryly, though she was 180 degrees away from being amused. Ryoko fidgeted in her chair until she was sitting in it properly again, then gave the officer her full attention.

"…Was it maybe because… you loved me?"

"_WHAT?!?!_ Ryoko, what are you _saying?!_ I'm not that kind of girl!!!!!"

"No-no-no-no-no!" rattled the ex-pirate. "I meant… did you spare me because you cared about me?" Kiyone's angry face didn't diminish in the least.

"Now where in the worlds would you have gotten an idea like that??"

"Washu," snorted Ryoko, and Kiyone's anger turned into surprise with blinding speed.

"What?!" she blurted. "_Washu?!?!_"

"She was mumbling something about how everyone loved me, and wanted me to change, and wanted to see 'the good in me' come out, and how they were sick of me'n Ayeka fighting…… You know, crap like that." A pause.

"Oh." Kiyone calmly gazed at the controls in front of her, the teal-green eyes of hers becoming glassy and hazed. She continued to stare and think, even as she resumed speaking in a hushed voice. "…I guess I considered you a friend of mine," she continued. "I mean, back then. Now, it's official, but in the old days… well, I guess I didn't see you as the criminal type. I mean, yeah, you did a lot of questionable things, but most of them were just annoying--nothing really threatening or dangerous.

"…I… I suppose I did like you, in the sense that if you got hurt, I'd be concerned… though obviously not on the same level as Mihoshi or Sasami, or Tenchi. Maybe…… well, maybe you're right. Maybe I _did_ care for you, and maybe I did want to see the good in you come out. I know I was definitely growing sick of you and Ayeka fighting, and I didn't even live with you guys." Kiyone finally turned her face to check Ryoko's reaction, and smiled as she saw the other woman attentively listening. The slightest whisper of a smile was on Ryoko's face.

"…Okay, I see now," she muttered. "Right, thanks. I was just curious, y'know."

"Why did you ask me that?"

"Like I said, I was curious," sighed the ex-pirate. Ryoko stood to stretch herself out, and took in a very deep, cleansing breath before placing her hand on Kiyone's shoulder. "Officer Kiyone," she said, "I have a favor for you."

"What is it?"

"Take me home," replied the other woman, her eyes glowing gently. "Please, Officer, take me to my home planet, please. I, I know that I'm not gonna like what I see, but please… I need to be there. I… I've never even _had_ a home until I met up with Tenchi, and even then, I always felt like I belonged somewhere else. Oh, I loved it there, in that crazy house, but…… something deep inside me told me that, no matter how much I loved it there, I really did belong somewhere else, though I never figured out where. Now… _now_ I know, though. I _know_ where my home is, Officer, and… I know who my family was, and I know who _I_ am, and……… I… I actually have a place to belong to now. So please, Kiyone… please take me home."

"I second the notion!" called a voice from behind them. Both women turned around to see Nagi standing there, wearing a pretty but plain white sleeveless T-shirt with white boxers. A person would balk if they were told that at one point, this lady was a threat, and if any of Nagi's previous bounties had seen her now, they wouldn't have recognized her at all. As it stood, Ryoko and Kiyone both smiled at her.

"Wow, you look cute, sis!" sang Ryoko. Nagi chuckled lightly.

"Thanks. But this isn't about me. Officer Kiyone, I'm gonna have to agree with my sister here. I've spent all of my life wandering from place to place, without a family and without a home, and now that I know that I have both, I need to be there--I need to be there with my people, and what's left of my past… Please, Officer, take us home!" Both sisters looked at the policewoman with big, begging eyes, and no matter how tough Kiyone was, she couldn't say no to those looks.

"I understand," she said gently. "Although Miss Washu won't like it, I think you're right. We _do_ need to go to Tg--if not just for you two, but we might also find a few clues there as well. And there might even be a few people loyal to your family left over, who might be able to help us. All right, I'll take you there, and the only thing you'll owe me is a thanks."

"Thanks, Kiyone," smiled Ryoko, giving the officer a hug. Nagi smiled and thanked her as well, and even though expressing feelings and emotions was still difficult for her, she gave the officer a hug as well.

"Right," huffed Kiyone. "Now, get back to the others and tell them where we're going. Oh, and tell that creep Washu that if she doesn't like it, she can take one up the tailpipe." Ryoko and Nagi both giggled, something they both rarely did, and went off to spread the word. Secretly, Kiyone hoped that Washu would go against the new arrangement. She had wanted to see the woman's reaction to what the two sisters would inevitably tell her.

Two entire days passed since Kiyone steered _Yagami_ towards the Minida system (where Tg was located), and in that time, plans were being drawn up for what would happen once the ship touched down. To the surprise of the twins, Washu was not only in support of their decision but had almost went up to the cockpit to tell Kiyone herself. Luckily, or not, Ryoko had spared her the journey, so now it was full speed ahead towards Tg! But Washu knew that the girls' homecoming would be anything but peaceful, so the gang had to draw up a few plans.

At best, the gang could expect the entire planet to welcome the long-lost ladies into its embrace, where they would be whisked to what remained of their family estate and treated like royalty, or whatever the ruined planet could provide. Ryoko and Nagi would "reclaim their birthright", and would then be surrounded by a host of loyal family employees, each of whom would have some clue as to where Pandemonium was.

"We might as well throw in a husband for you two," added Washu as she looked over the plans, "because that scenario is about as unlikely as they come."

"I've gotta agree," mumbled Ryoko. "It'd be nice if all that happened, but even _I_ know better than that. So, what's the worst-case scenario?"

"Basically the opposite of what you just saw," pointed the scientist. "The entire planet hates you, your estate is in ruins and your family fortune is gone, and there's not a soul left that's loyal to the family name. Of course, this is also very improbable, since I'm sure that there's _bound_ to be somebody there that'll help us." Ryoko and Nagi slowly shook their heads as they gazed at the plans, and both girls let out a sigh.

"Well, no matter what we do, we're going to have to be on our guard," said Tenchi. "My best guess is that we'll be facing a scenario that's a combination of both extreme possibilities. I'm sure that there'll be people that can help us, and probably enough financial aid as well, but I wouldn't expect to land inside the Promised Land."

"A wise idea," agreed Washu. "It's better to be prepared for a little bit of both. Sasami, Mihoshi, I think you two should stay here and guard the ship with Kiyone. I don't mean to sound nasty, but this really doesn't involve any of you. In fact, not even Ayeka or Tenchi should be here, but I guess I can understand _their_ reasons."

"But--"

"I would also feel safer if you stayed here," agreed Ayeka calmly. Her hands gently held her sister's, and the elder woman pleaded as gently as she knew how. "Please, Sasami… I don't want to see you get hurt. And besides, there might be several…… disagreeable people in this world, and they may want to steal this ship while we're away. If you and the officers stay here, then I'll know that _Yagami_ will be safe."

"But--"

"Don't worry, I'll have Azaka and Kamidake look after you as well." At the mention of their names, the wooden guardians hovered forward and both chanted their honor and devotion to Sasami and _Yagami_. Ayeka thanked her guardians, and Sasami reluctantly agreed to stay behind. Tenchi would most definitely have to protect the girls once they were outside, no matter _how_ good the scenario became. Even in the best-case situation, it was better to be safe.

After drawing out the rest of the plans, the small group of girls and one young man took a deep breather and sat down to relax. Their rest was brutally interrupted by Kiyone's shouting voice, but it was a forgivable offence since the only thing she was shouting was, "Hey, everybody! We're coming up on Tg! We're here!"

The assortment of girls, cabbits, and guardians scrambled towards the cockpit to see this foreign planet, and as they all crowded inside, a silent curtain of amazement fell upon their faces. Before them, still a few light-seconds away, was a planet not too unlike Earth. It was a spherical mass of swirling blue and white colors, with but a touch of brown, green, and even red to it. It had a single moon that appeared to be habitable, and a beautiful vertical ring circling around it. There were other neighboring planets scattered around, but it was obvious that this one was the big boss.

"…Home," whispered Ryoko hauntingly. Her hand touched the see-through Lexan glass shield of _Yagami_, and pretended to caress the distant world. "…That's our home…" Somebody suddenly squeezed her free hand, and she smiled as she saw that it had been her sister.

"Welcome home, sis," she smiled. Ryoko warmly returned the gesture, and soon her other hand was being held as well.

"Welcome home, Ryoko," smiled Tenchi. She blushed as his fingers rubbed up against hers.

"Please," she whispered, "call me Christina."

Next chapter: Well, the gang has finally made it! What sorts of surprises await Ryoko, Nagi, and the rest of the gang? Will they be greeted warmly, or will they be despised? Does anybody have any information about Pandemonium, and can our heroes stand up to such a monster? Will any of these questions actually be answered?? Find out next time in "No Need for a Prophecy!" It's unquestionably revealing!


	12. No Need for a Prophecy!

XII: No Need for a Prophecy!

_Yagami_ landed in a wide open space, which was a miracle in itself considering how much of Tg had once been teeming with life. Now, though, the place was literally deserted. The surface was made out of concrete and asphalt, like a large parking lot, but bits and pieces of grasses and weeds had sprouted out through the cracks long ago. Most of the makeshift landing pad was mostly wrecked and uneven, but thankfully there had been a spot flat enough for the GP vessel to land on.

Everybody shuffled out of the vessel single-file, leaving Sasami to keep watch over the ship with the cabbits, the guardians, and the police officers. Everyone else entered into this new world, with Ryoko and Nagi stepping onto it first. As they took their very first steps into the world in which they were born, both sisters paused and gazed in awe at the haunting landscape before them.

Tg was in ruins, but it had not been utterly destroyed. The buildings in the distance had all rotted away due to years of neglect, and the air had a slightly stale smell to it. There weren't any people within visual distance--in fact, aside from the wasted ruins and the cracked streets below them, there really wasn't much of anything. Slowly, the four girls and Tenchi walked through the skeletal remains of buildings and snaked further into the planet.

_Yagami_ had landed on the outskirts of a city, so it seemed. All around them were tall buildings that had either caved in or else had faded into a drab mess. The first evidence of life in the world were several masses of huddling people, many of them gathering around barrels with a flame in them. It was not cold on Tg, but there was a noticeable chill in the air. Perhaps the abandoned ruins gave off a frosty aura, or maybe with so few people to populate the area, there was now less body heat to go around.

Whatever the reason, it was a depressing sight to wade through the ruined city, and Ryoko and Nagi were holding hands the entire way. Ryoko also refused to let go of Tenchi's hand, and there was no doubt that if she had another to spare, then Ayeka would've grabbed it. The princess instead took Nagi's hand, and smiled at the young woman as she cautiously walked through the cold city.

For the better part of an hour, the five of them walked and walked and walked, and continued walking until the city they had been in was behind them. Of course, after the city came even more ghastly sights: a large water fountain that had once been the home of a powerful statue was now blasted to pieces and leaking puddles of dirty liquid. The streets were overused and shattered, and almost every single window in every single building had been broken in. Trees had been skeletonized into nothing but bark, and most of the animals wandering around had been turned into savage scavengers. In short, it was a horrible and depressing scene, one of ruin and decay, and both Nagi and Ryoko cried.

"I told you," sighed Washu softly. "I told you that you wouldn't like coming back here." The two sisters gave her no answer, and even though they both had frozen looks on their faces, they pressed on past the empty square and further into the next region of the planet. No matter how strong Ayeka or Tenchi squeezed the hands of Nagi or Ryoko, the girls always seemed to have a terrified and shocked look, which in turn made the princess and the boy feel downhearted.

They continued onward, through the decayed city and into one of the few areas that were heavily populated. The people here all had joyless, dead looks on their faces. Their eyes were cold and hard, some of them downright miserable, others teetering on the edge of suicide and perhaps a tiny hope. Not a one of them was dressed decently; indeed, some weren't even dressed at all, and they were all either very dirty or else very bitter, or both on some occasions. Ryoko and Nagi stared back at these people with faces full of horror and perverse wonder, and cried some more.

"What could've happened here?" whispered the former space pirate. Washu shivered.

"Pandemonium happened," she replied. "Like I mentioned, that dragon-demon has little desire to destroy things himself. He prefers stirring up the discord and enmity that is lying hidden in the hearts of people, and allowing _them_ to do the battles for him. Pandemonium is an anarchist of the worst kind, and his reign of terror is most often one that is usually caused by outside forces. But… I never could have imagined…"

"This is the worst kind of torture!" snarled Tenchi. "Killing and destroying everything is bad enough, but he's allowing these people to live under these conditions! He's letting them live, the monster!! They've been unjustly sentenced to live every day with the burdens and worries that they've inflicted upon themselves, and they never deserved any of it! I-I-It's just… not fair!!!"

"T… Tenchi!! You're… owww!!!" Ryoko screamed out as Tenchi unknowingly squeezed her hand, and the young man hastily apologized and let go. Glad to have some kind of distraction away from the disasters around her, Ryoko held her crushed hand gently and kneaded it with the care of a surgeon.

"…Ryoko… I, I'm sorry…"

"…It's okay," sniffled the pirate, letting her sister massage the hurt appendage. "I… I know how you feel… And besides, it was just an accident…"

"Is there any way I can make you feel better?" he asked. Flattered that Tenchi should ask such a question, Ryoko smiled at him and stuck her hand out.

"Well…… you _could_ kiss it better!"

"Honestly, Miss Ryoko!" exclaimed Ayeka, giving her a friendly shove. "You can be so shameless sometimes!" Ryoko grinned mischievously at the princess, but the smile faded in an instant as Tenchi gently took hold of her hand and brought it to her lips. Both Ayeka and Ryoko were blushing red, though the princess was flushed for a completely different reason. Slyly, Tenchi continued to walk forward with his hands in his pockets, and a still-enraptured Ryoko turned her head so that she could silently boast to her friend. Ayeka saw the sneaky smile and simply held out her hand.

"Not one word out of you, Miss Ryoko," she sighed. "Not _one_ word……"

The gang continued to weave their way through the destroyed cities and towns, encountering so much rot and decay that it brought tears even to Washu's eyes--which meant that by now, Ryoko and Nagi were almost to the point of holding each other for comfort. Tenchi was right: this was quite possibly the most horrible existence that these people could face. Letting them live in such sorrow was inhumane; a death would've spared them such horror, which was probably why Pandemonium avoided killing. This was a monstrous demon who performed tyrannical acts of the worst kind, all the while having never raised a claw to participate in the destruction (with few exceptions).

It is said that every cloud has a silver lining, but these were the kind that only bore storms. There was not even a ray of sunshine peeking out of the darkness, just sadness and misery and ruin and guilt. The people that lived here--if it could even be called living--were all aimless, hopeless individuals, deprived of their dignity and everything they had held dear. Yes, they were alive, but as the phrase went, there were some things even worse than death, and this was one of them.

"I… I can't take it anymore!" shouted Nagi, covering her face with her hands. She crumbled to the floor in a miserable heap, sobbing uncontrollably between hopeless whispers and terrified gasps of breath. "We… we never should have come…"

"Get a hold of yourself, Miss Nagi!" exclaimed Ayeka, shaking the former huntress. "I realize how terrible and hopeless all this seems, but we've got to move on! Surely we will be able to find some clue about this monster we're facing!!" Nagi sniffled and looked into the princess' face, but only for a moment as her tears were clouding her eyes.

"…I just can't take it anymore…" she repeated hoarsely. This time, Ryoko knelt down to comfort her sister, and silently whispered how afraid she felt at the time. Tenchi was beside himself with amazement, as he had _never_ seen either women acting so horrified. Sure, there had been rare times when Ryoko had cast away her playful nature and became serious, and there had been that one time, right before the fight with Kagato, when she looked despondent, but…… this was a whole new case.

Nagi and Ryoko were perhaps two of the strongest women he knew of, and to see them break down like this was heart-wrenching. He joined Ayeka in comforting the two ladies, and they both smiled and thanked the young man and woman for their love. Washu was caught somewhere between staring emptily at the ruin before her, and staring in wonder at the four young people huddled together on the streets.

"All right," whispered Ayeka, "I think you've cried enough, Nagi. You too, Ryoko. It's time we moved on." A pause. Both women sniffled, and with the strength of Ayeka and Tenchi supporting them, they stood up again.

"Thanks, princess," mumbled Nagi. "…You're such a strong person. I… I guess I can see why Tenchi and my sister love you so much." Ayeka's face reddened just slightly, and she shyly smiled at the older woman's compliment.

"Hey, Ayeka?" said Ryoko, jabbing her friend gently with her elbow. "Can ya do me a favor?"

"You know I'll do just about anything for you, dear," she smiled. Ryoko winked at her friend.

"Yeah. Well, can ya do me a favor? Can you and Tenchi and everybody else call us by our real names? You see, Ryoko and Nagi don't exist anymore. We're both retired from our positions, and we're never going back there either, so if you don't mind, I'd like to be addressed in the proper manner that suit's a woman of nobility." Ayeka chuckled playfully, as did Tenchi and even Washu, and soon the princess was giving her former rival a most magnificent curtsy.

"If it pleases you, Milady Stohk, then I shall address you as thus--Christina!" Ryoko grinned and thanked her friend, but it was nearly drowned out by the sudden uproar of murmuring in the crowd. Dozens of people began whispering and muttering amongst themselves, and they all turned around so they could see where Ayeka's voice had originated.

"Stohk? Did she say Stohk? Can it be true? A stohk _here_, after so many years? No, it's impossible! Milord and Milady were killed years ago, and nobody knows what happened to their children! Who said that? Who spoke up?" Ayeka pursed her lips in embarrassment as the crowd searched around, and bravely raised her hand for all the world to see.

"I did!" she exclaimed. "I said it!!" Before long, everyone within visual distance turned around to face her, and gasped in shock as they saw Ryoko and Nagi. The crowd of hopeless people froze in place as they saw the twin girls, and the poor women would've been flooded by a hundred desperate people if one particular man hadn't went through the trouble of parting them.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! May I pass, please? Excuse me!"

"Hey, it's old Holtz!" shouted one of the men. "It's old Holtz, everybody! Let'im through!" The crowd immediately gave way to a man that looked to be in his early seventies, wrinkled and wizened with just a splash of youth still on him. He was perhaps the first person that Tenchi and his friends saw that was not dressed poorly--in fact, the old man actually looked to be extremely wealthy and classy from his dress.

He had on dark breeches that went all the way down to his black suede shoes, with a dark tweed suit over a crimson and white vest. He also had a blue bow tying his collar together, and had beautiful white hair tied up in a long braid. He wore glasses and gloves, and although he was probably older than all the girls combined, he still moved quickly, and definitely commanded a presence (since the townspeople eagerly parted for him).

His youth was not unlimited, however, so he was quite out of breath by the time he came to Tenchi and the others. But his breathlessness was soon caused by something other than exhaustion, and as he gazed at Nagi and Ryoko (or Nanette and Christina, as they were "now" being called), beads of amazed sweat dotted his brow.

"Aaaah-aaah-ahhh!!!!" he gasped. "It's not possible! It can't be! ……Master? Mistress? Master Armand?! Mistress Anya?!"

"Huh?" muttered Nagi. "No, no, you got the wrong people, old man. My name is Nag--uh, Nanette. Nanette Gizra Stohk, and this is my twin sister, Christina Marcella Stohk." The old man's surprise multiplied several hundred fold as he heard of the legendary name of Stohk, and nearly fell to the floor from the shock of it all. Thankfully, a handkerchief saved his wet brow, and several deep breaths saved the rest of him. He still had to adjust his spectacles to make sure, but when he peered at Nagi and Ryoko a second time, he gasped for joy.

"……Is it true?!" he whispered. "Are you two ladies really the lost children of my masters? Are you truly… the heirs to the Stohk family legacy??"

"I've got the papers if you want the proof," said Washu, fanning said papers in the air. The old man refused to look at them, and smiled at the two girls.

"No, no, I don't need them. My eyes may be old and weary, but I can plainly see the resemblance! You _do_ resemble your parents! It's unmistakable now!!" Overjoyed with enthusiasm, the old man took the ladies' hands into his own, kneeled to the floor, and kissed them both.

"My name is Randolph J. Holtz," he said, "and I have faithfully served the Stohk family name ever since the days of your grandparents! You… you honestly cannot believe how overjoyed I am to see you two!!" Holtz suddenly broke into tears, but the smile on his face told the girls that he was anything but sad.

"Oh, Masters!" he cried out. "I have been patiently waiting for this day ever since the Cataclysm, and now it has become plain that my efforts were not in vain! Your two lost daughters have come back from the dead, safe and sound, and now… now…… Ohhh….!" Holtz broke down again, burying his face in the girls' hands as he sobbed joyfully. Nagi and Ryoko smiled warmly at the old man, and bent down to help him out.

"Are you really a servant for our parents?" they asked. Holtz shakily nodded his head.

"I am. But… but… I never thought that I would ever live to see this day!! OH, you _cannot_ imagine how wonderful and exciting this is!!! Finally, after all these years, the heirs to the Stohk family have returned to Tg! My fellow people!!" And then he turned to the crowd that had gathered and addressed them. "They have returned! The lost daughters of my masters have returned!! They have come to make right what was once wrong, and to escalate our beloved Tg back into the glorified ages it once enjoyed!!!" The crowd went berserk and raised their hands in the air in a violently loud shout, and for perhaps the first time in decades, they had a reason to hope.

In the thick noise, Tenchi walked over to the old man and politely tugged at his sleeve.

"So do you think you can help us??"

"Of course, young sir!!" replied Holtz merrily. "Here, come this way!! My ladies, you too are free to accompany us! Quickly, to the manor!! We have so many things to do, but now that you two are here, I am certain that everything will be all right from now on!!!"

Considering how fast everything had been going in the past few hours, the gang of girls (and Tenchi!) were taking things amazingly well. In the few hours that had already passed, the loyal Holtz had whisked the twins off towards what remained of the Stohk manor. Not even this place had been spared Pandemonium's wrath, but luckily, enough of it was intact to constitute as a place of rest. Once everyone was inside the large estate, Holtz announced to the few remaining loyalists that the daughters of Armand and Anya have returned, and instantly the girls were surrounded by people who expressed strangely similar sentiment to Holtz's. They were then taken to the room that had been set apart in preparation for the girls' own (way back around the time they were born), and at once they were drowned by maids and servants who fixed them up "properly".

The servants also gave Ayeka the royal treatment (since she _was_ a princess), and Tenchi was taken by Holtz himself so that the two men could have a heart-to-heart. The servants even spoiled Washu, and soon everything was a confusing mass of clothes, showers, suits, flowers, and people. Since Tenchi took the shortest time to "get dressed", he and Holtz passed the remaining minutes talking about everything in question, from the girls' parents to Pandemonium.

"My master and mistress were wonderful people," sighed Holtz wistfully. "They treated everyone with love and care, and were extremely generous with what they had. I am sad to say that most of their family fortune is gone, but what remains will immediately go to Lady Nanette and Lady Christina. …By the way, might I mention that I never recalled Lord Armand and Lady Anya giving their daughters names?"

"You mean they…" Holtz nodded his head quietly.

"Yes. They were nameless at birth. My master and mistress couldn't decide on how to name them, and by the time they did……… Well, you can guess what happened." Tenchi darkly nodded his head, and once again clenched his fist tightly. Holtz, meanwhile, smiled.

"But I am sure that my masters, Creator rest their souls, would approve of these new names. Nanette and Christina are both very beautiful names, and it seems to fit them well. I shan't ask _where_ they got 'Nagi' and 'Ryoko', but if I may say so, sir, these names are improvements!"

"Yeah, I agree with that!" beamed Tenchi. "So… were their parents really that important?"

"Oh, by all means!" exclaimed the older man. "Master Armand and Mistress Anya were as important as they were loved. They were both very good friends with the Emperor of Jurai, the President of Megalopolis, and the Prima Chief of Prima Gaia. In fact, if circumstances had been better, they would've probably grown up with Princess Ayeka!" Tenchi chuckled politely, though on the inside he could never imagine Nagi, Ryoko, and Ayeka being childhood friends. He had to admit, though, it did make a lot of sense.

"Now you tell me, young man," said Holtz, "how on Tg did Lady Nanette and Lady Christina get from this planet to where they are now?"

"Ugh, it's a really long story," groaned Tenchi. Holtz smiled wisely and folded his hands.

"I'm in no rush. Please, indulge me on everything you know!"

"All right," warned Tenchi, "but this might take awhile…"

----------

"My word!!!" exclaimed Holtz once Tenchi finished. "That is indeed a fascinating story! Lady Christina a space pirate, and Lady Nanette a bounty hunter?! And you say that they were once mortal enemies??! Now that is very remarkable indeed!!!" Tenchi couldn't disagree.

"Yeah… sometimes even _I_ don't understand things, and I've been living with them for a long time now!"

"Indeed!!" coughed the old man. They both paused for awhile, then Holtz regained his wise smile. "Well, no matter how it all happened, I am glad that they are both safe and sound, and that they are finally behaving as sisters again!!"

"Me too!" smiled Tenchi. "It was bad enough with Ayeka and Ryok--I mean, Christina fighting, but with Nagi--erm, I mean, uhh……"

"Bad habits die hard," chortled Holtz wisely as he adjusted his glasses. "Do not worry, sir. From what you tell me, there has been enough going on to classify as insanity, so to see you and the Ladies in good state of mind is very fortunate." Both men shared a warm smile, which was shortened thanks to a welcome interruption. There came a knock on the door, in which the ladies behind it announced the presence of Ladies Washu, Ayeka, Nanette, and Christina.

When Holtz opened the door, Tenchi was first struck by a now-breathtaking Washu. The little scientist had been placed into a gorgeous green dress, the kind that a person would wear in Victorian-age England, complete with jewels and evening gloves, and even a parasol. Washu's red hair had been tied up in beautiful curly rolls, and her face actually had makeup on it for the first time in years. She was stunningly beautiful, and Tenchi smiled as he complimented her.

But not even Washu could compare to Ayeka's new dress. The princess looked as magnificent as her status allowed, and Tenchi's face glowed as it saw just how breathtaking she really was. Dressed in an icy-blue dress that left her shoulders bare, Ayeka strolled in gracefully with her gloved hands folded before her and her hair sewn into a lovely design. Tenchi gave both Washu and Ayeka a gentlemanly kiss on the hand, though it was obvious where the lion's share of his attention was drawn.

"Wow, Lady Ayeka! You look magnificent!"

"(Do you think so?)" whispered the girl giddily. Tenchi smiled and nodded his head. "(I may very well wear this to my wedding. Tradition be thrown out the window; these people have a sense of taste that defies anything I have seen on Jurai.)"

"You look marvelous, Lady Ayeka!" beamed Holtz. "And Lady Washu is a beautiful sight to these old eyes!!" The smallish woman giggled and fanned away the harmless flirt, but all activity ceased as Ryoko and Nagi--no, as Lady Christina and Lady Nanette came into the room. Tenchi could almost hear a harp being played as the formerly-rough women daintily stepped into view.

Ryoko was wearing a rich violet dress similar to Ayeka's, except her ears had jewels embedded in, and she had a little less jewelry (since royalty was just a notch higher than nobility). There was still a crystal tiara, and a pearl necklace, and diamond rings over her gloved hands, and for the first time in her entire life, Ryoko had makeup on. Nagi, on the other hand, had a deep blue dress much similar to her sister's, and jewelry to match. To Tenchi's surprise, their hair had been left exactly as it was; not a strand had been changed.

"Oh, my!!!" whispered Holtz, whose old face was glowing warmly. "My Ladies… you are angelic!" Both girls smiled shyly at his compliment, and he and Tenchi each took turns kissing their hands.

"You really do look great, Ryoko," smiled the boy. She blushed and winked.

"I am Christina now," she told him. "Please, everyone… just call me by my real name. Ryoko no longer exists."

"If you insist, Lady Christina," smiled Tenchi. Ryoko--that is, Christina--got goosebumps as he pronounced her real name, and Nagi--Nanette now--also got giddy when Tenchi used her name.

"This will be a day long remembered!" exclaimed Holtz. "The master's daughters have come back to us after so many years, and now they have reclaimed their birthright! I know that with your help, my Ladies, Tg will not only pull out of this miserable depression, but it shall also ascend higher than before--nay, a thousand times higher! With the two of you in control now, I daresay that we may end up having a Golden Age!!!"

"But first things first," pointed Washu. "We've got to know where Pandemonium is. If we don't get rid of him once and for all, then all this work will be for nothing!" Holtz sighed sadly as he nodded his head.

"Indeed, ever since that dark day, we have been living under such bleak conditions. It is true that even if Pandemonium _is_ disposed of, it will not help our present condition. But I would rest easier knowing that that monster is no longer a threat!"

"Agreed," said Tenchi. "Mr. Holtz, would you know where we might be able to find this demon?" Holtz's wrinkled face became gnarled with disgust, and he sneered at the mere thought of the demon that had ruined everything he knew and loved.

"Bah, if I did know, then I would've called up the entire Galaxy Police force in a raid! They would've found that monster already and would've put a stop to him! But no, I haven't seen hide nor scale of that beast since that tragic day, so many years ago. However, I might be able to lead you off in the proper direction…" Holtz rubbed his chin for awhile, then meandered off to the front door by himself. Sensing that he was going to show them something, Tenchi and his entourage of well-dressed women followed the old servant.

As they made their way through the ruined town, the people of Tg actually smiled and even kneeled in the presence of Nanette and Christina. Citizens who had previously never known of the joys of hope, were now smiling and beaming and even crying as the angelic women passed them by. Nanette and Christina still couldn't take two steps without looking depressed, but the awe and wonder on the people's faces gave them a strength unknown to their bodies.

"It's great to be back," whispered Nanette to a scraggly young woman. "It's so wonderful to finally be home again!"

"I swear that we'll fix all of this, I swear it!" cried Christina as she knelt beside a filthy old man. The man gave her a warm smile and clasped her hands.

"Milady… I have faith in you!" he wheezed. Christina shed tears of joy and sorrow as the formerly-hopeless man smiled at her, and in all her nobility and pride, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"You shall not know darkness for long," she whispered. The man kept his smile, and bade Christina a good day as she left to continue following Holtz. This same scene repeated itself several times over during their brief journey: Nanette and Christina would find someone who struck a chord in their hearts, and they would attend to them and comfort them as best they could. Tenchi and Ayeka oftentimes joined them, and even Washu gave the dejected people a smile and a ray of hope.

Finally, the small entourage had waded away from the populace (tears marking the faces of almost all of them), and were now in the dusty remains of a church clouded in shadows. A fog of eternal darkness blanketed the holy building and the graveyard built next to it, and despite the sudden warmth, neither Nanette nor Christina could help but shiver.

"In here, my Ladies," pointed Holtz as he came to the broken doors. He continued to lead them inside the church, using a lantern as a guide. He warned them that the building was in poor condition thanks to the wars that had scarred the planet, and more than one person learned just how bad things were the hard way. Stumbling and bumping into everything wasn't fun, but luckily the place was small, and they reached their "destination" in only a few minutes.

"Here," said Holtz, presenting a very ancient book to Nanette. "This is a manuscript that dates back to the time of the Ancients who founded Tg. They were a race of prophets and soothsayers, and although their entire culture is now completely gone, I have personally taken the liberty of safeguarding this very last manuscript of theirs. It is very delicate and very old, so I suggest you use caution when reading it." Nanette barely nodded her head, and took a deep breath as she poured into the book. Indeed, the pages were extremely ancient, probably as old as the Roman coliseum on Earth, but she could make out the writing easily.

"…What exactly am I looking for?" she asked. Holtz shrugged.

"I found a passage concerning our fiendish enemy in there somewhere, but I couldn't make sense of it. Perhaps you young people might be able to interpret what the book has to say." Nanette continued to leaf through pages until she found the page that Holtz had referred to. Since the book was written by prophets, there was a message of the future in there, and since she thought it was important, Nanette read it out loud.

__

The Rider of White descends from upon high

To conquer the land with a bow lacking arrows

He swoops down in peace but stirs up great war

And leaves the planes with Death in his wake!

But a hope of slim chances still exists in this world

Though it is still dim with impossibility and chance

For it calls upon enemies and rivals to embrace

And for long-lost bonds to be tied once again!

The Four Stars of destiny are separate at first

And perhaps only Fate can unite them again!

The first star unites the rest under Heaven and Earth

The second is purified by fire and ordeal

The third star possesses both hatred and love

The fourth star shares blood with an enemy most vile!

Uniting these four may be far too difficult

But would it be easier for Chaos to reign?

After reading the passage, Nanette carefully closed the book, a ghostly façade now permanently etched on her face. She stood, catatonic, staring into oblivion as the words of the book tumbled around in her thoughts. Holtz carefully took the manuscript back into his possession, and cleared his throat so that his Mistress would break free from her stare.

"Well? Can you make anything of it?" Nanette swallowed, took a deep breath, and rubbed her eyes until life came back to her motionless body. She looked at Tenchi, then Ayeka, then Christina, then at her servant, and nodded her head.

"Yeah," she answered. "If I'm not mistaken, then that book was referring to _us._"

"………What does it mean?" whispered Tenchi. Nanette couldn't dare think about the possibilities for long.

"It means that we're the only ones who can defeat that thing," she said emptily. Christina snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Surprise, surprise."

Next chapter: Whew! With so much resting on our heroes' shoulders right now, do you think they have time to spend with old friends? Sure, why not?! In the following chapter, Nanette runs into a few familiar faces from her past! It's a reunion to remember in the next chapter, "No Need for a Gathering!" It's unquestionably dynamic!


	13. No Need for a Gathering!

Disclaimer: I'm going to have four original characters of mine make a "special appearance" in this chapter, so plagiarists beware! These four characters are my idea, so no stealing!! Oh, for some clarity on who they are, check out my "_Nagi: The Lonely Path of the Hunter_" story, and if you're feeling ambitious, "_Shift: Code of Honor_" and "_The Life and Times of Hot Ice Hilda_". Of course, there are a few "spoilers" scattered about in this chapter for those of you who have not read one of the aforementioned stories or another, so tread carefully (aw, g'wan, you know you wanna read it!).

XIII: No Need for a Gathering!

Nanette Gizra Stohk stood on a hill, looking over the vast, ruined landscape that was her real home. There was a soft but bitter wind that played with her hair as she surmised the damaged land, and a quiet howling of voices that whistled occasionally with the dead breeze. The suffering of her people was deep and long, and each and every day they cried out for a savior--any savior would do, really. As the heir to this barren land, it was up to her and her sister to set things right in this world. There _would_ be a reconstruction effort--Nanette had sworn it--but before a single stone could be replaced, one final thread had to be sewn up.

The only problem was, this thread was about as easy to find as… well, a piece of string. Nobody knew where Pandemonium was, or else they didn't want to know, and even if there had been a person like that around, Nanette had yet to find them. Of course, she _had_ just learned of her parents' plight, so it wasn't like this was old news. Nanette and her sister Christina had already been exposed to a large amount of their past in a small amount of time, and it was only through the support of each other that they were able to stay sane.

Nanette began growing attached to Tenchi and Ayeka soon after reuniting with her sister. She found the princess and the young boy to be quite good friends, and as reliable as a cabbit. She liked Ayeka for her inner strength, and her organization and rationalization, and her ever-present ability to straighten out even the most complex problems. Tenchi was very similar to Ayeka, in that he also made so many things easier to understand. Plus, he was so nice and warm and polite that she couldn't help but love him. Nanette now understood why the two girls pined for him so, and couldn't blame them at all.

Thinking of Tenchi spurned a few nostalgic flashbacks in Nanette's own mind. She thought back to her youth, which seemed eons ago, and back to her first big mission--and her first (and only) love. She had been so young at the time, probably no more than about fifteen or sixteen, but she was already well-versed in the art of hunting and fighting. She was not famous back then, nor was she quite as lethal, and personally, Nanette considered her younger self a bit of an airhead and a moron.

How she missed those times. She had been so carefree and innocent back then--heck, she was actually frightened of Ryoko--and didn't know the troubles of loneliness or the hardships of death and destruction. That first mission not only gave her fame a jump-start, it also bore her the only romantic interest she had ever encountered in her life. On the planet she visited, she met a kind and simple young monk named Judah, who was living there as a kind of student. He had been stricken with amnesia, and thus could not remember his true identity, but he had told Nanette that it didn't matter. From the way he was built (Judah was obviously a fighter long before he stepped foot on the planet, and he had a scar over his right eye), Judah theorized that he might've been a criminal in his past, so the amnesia was actually a good thing. Nanette had spent many months on that planet, even after her job was over, and the two grew to love each other.

Unfortunately, Nanette's desire to protect the one she loved took precedence over her feelings. There were many evils out in the universe, and only a few people bold enough to stand up against them, and Nanette was cursed to join their ranks. She gave a tearful goodbye to Judah while he slept, and left the planet to search for her place in life. That had been the last time she saw him, and that was many years ago. Now, Nanette's hunt for Ryoko had came to an end. She had retired from hunting and was already moving up in life thanks to Washu's investigations. For perhaps the first time since she became a bounty hunter, Nanette was free to live a normal life.

A sigh escaped her mouth as she looked over the land of Tg. By this time, Judah would've either forgotten about her, found another woman to be with, or perhaps both. Even if he remembered who she was, odds were that he probably wasn't looking for her, and even if he _was_, he'd never be able to find her on Tg, no matter how hard he searched. But Nanette was not a hopeless woman, and even though she knew better than to keep watching and waiting, she continued all the same.

"Hello, Nanette." Nanette turned around to see who had disturbed her, and smiled as she saw Ayeka. The princess really was becoming a good friend to the former huntress, and although she could never boast the bond that Ayeka shared with Christina, Nanette still liked to think that she was close to the younger woman.

"Lady Ayeka," replied the crimson-eyed woman. "What pleasure do I owe this encounter?"

"Just the pleasure of being with a friend," she sighed. Ayeka stood next to Nanette, and soon both ladies were peering out into the distant land. The sky was a reddish color, although Holtz had said that at one point it was as blue as Earth's, and most of the land took a crimson hue to it as well. Holtz also claimed that the color of the environment was due to the massive wars that had plagued the planet in the wake of Pandemonium, and none of the planet's former beauty had recovered since.

"You know," said Nanette suddenly, "in a way, this really isn't Pandemonium's fault."

"I know what you mean," whispered the princess. "These people were not attacked by any outside force, they were wiped out from within. It's a very depressing situation… a planet being torn apart by its own people… So many lives, needlessly lost, and so many more suffering because of it. The people of Tg have brought this all upon themselves, and in a dark sense, it's just another reminder of how horrible we people can become."

"But there's also hope," replied Nanette. "…Hope… that the people of this world, and others, can learn from their mistakes and continue on. These people might have committed many atrocities, but they can amend their ways just as easily. Rebuilding a planet from the ground up never caused anyone any inner turmoil or grief."

"Indeed…" The two ladies stood in silence yet again, and for the longest time, they stood together as they contemplated things. Ayeka's mind mostly wandered onto the terrors of war and the insane weakness of humanity, and how bloodthirsty people could become; Nanette had everything on her mind.

_Why did I have to think of him at a time like this?_ she wondered. _Let's face it, I'm never gonna see him again. I can search the entire universe and I'll never find him. I should just concentrate on reviving this world and stopping that demon._

"Something on your mind?" asked Ayeka as she noticed the taller woman's turmoil. Nanette, who didn't realize that her thoughts were so obvious that they affected her physically, merely showed her friend a weak smile.

"Yeah… but you wouldn't believe me if I told you." A pause.

"All right. I'll respect your privacy." Ayeka bowed her head, and excused herself from Nanette's presence. Meanwhile, the turquoise-haired woman continued staring at the empty fields of Tg, and took a deep breath as she finally realized that she was home.

An hour later, Nanette heard Tenchi calling out her name. She was still on that hill, staring into the horizon, but was glad for the interruption. A lot was going on back at that manor, and Nanette had wanted some private time to think about things. She had even refused the company of her sister (although now she was regretting that decision), but by now she was hungry for the presence of another person. Her wish was granted when Tenchi came running up to her in a frenzy, and even though it was a little amusing to watch the young man sprint, the look on his face told Nanette that something important was up.

"Ayeka… said… you'd be here…" he wheezed. Tenchi had to lean over and catch his breath, which meant that Nanette had to do most of the talking, unless she wanted to wait.

"Yeah… so, what's up? Is something going on?" A pause that couldn't be helped filled the air as Tenchi gained his wind back.

"…Well, yes, actually," he told her. "While you and Ryok--I mean, Christina were away, we got some more visitors. They all came in a big ship together, and although we didn't recognize any of them, they said that they were looking for you. Do you know who they might be?"

"I have no idea," admitted Nanette flatly. "Frankly, Tenchi, it could be some person I hunted down who wants revenge, or maybe one of my millions of enemies. I don't think they're friendly, whoever they are."

"Well, they seem okay to me. They didn't sound angry, just eager to see you."

"Then I'd _really_ better be careful," she smirked. "If somebody wants to see me that badly, they probably want me to do a job."

"I'm not too sure about that," he said mysteriously. "…C'mon, you'd better go and see for yourself. Don't worry, none of us will let anything happen to you." Nanette smiled and thanked Tenchi for his guarantee, and decided to follow the young man just to see what the deal was. Odds are, one of her premonitions was probably correct. Nanette had very few real friends in the galaxy, and only those accompanying her knew exactly where she was.

But when Nanette returned to the manor, she found neither foe nor employers waiting for her. Instead, four people sat there in the main lobby, all of them waiting for something--apparently her. Nanette couldn't tell who two of them were, but the other two…

A sharp gasp came from her mouth as she recognized them. One of them was a tall, dark-skinned woman with exotic clothes and hot-pink hair; the other was a well-built young man with wild dark hair, a single dark eye, and one eye colored white like a crystal. A single tear came out of both of her eyes, one for each person, and the two she recognized cried and smiled joyfully as they too remembered her. With a sudden shout, Nanette ran forth and embraced them both in a big hug.

"Delilah!" she cried. "And… and……… Judah…" Weeping uncontrollably, the three people held each other close, and smiled sweetly at their old friend. The male's grin was especially big, and the dark-skinned woman was cut out of the embrace briefly as he and Nanette held each other. Nanette only wanted to breathe him in as she evoked long-buried memories, but his eyes forcibly gazed into hers with a thousand years' worth of love and loss.

"…It's good to finally see you again, Nanette," he whispered, and Nanette broke down at the sound of his voice.

"…Judah… I……" Finding words to fit the situation was impossible, but that was okay since all they really did was hold each other. The one who had been removed from the group hug, the dark-skinned woman named Delilah, merely crossed her arms and smiled at the reunited lovers.

"Tis' a heartfelt scene," she sighed, "and one that I feel thou deserveth, dear friends. Shalt I ask thine acquaintances to give thee private time, so thou mayest spend thine time to thyself?"

"Would you?" sniffled the dark-haired man as he looked in her direction. Delilah bowed her head gracefully and took a single look at the other two people. Without a word, they both stood up to leave, and all but one of them left Nanette and Judah to reunite. This one was a muscular woman, bearing a strong resemblance to Judah save for her shorter mop of hair. She even had a scar, but hers was over her left eye.

"So, this is Nanette, eh?" Her voice was rough, like Nanette's had been at one point, but there was a definite gentle air to it as well; Delilah's had been fluent and eloquent. Judah nodded at the woman and smiled.

"Yeah… this is her. This is the woman I've been searching for." The other woman smiled, and stepped forth to extend her hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you at long last," she said. "My name is Mabel Leah Fionn, and I'm Joshua's twin sister."

"Joshua?" blurted Nanette. "Twin sister?" She gave her love a confused look, and he let out a long sigh.

"Sorry, Nanette," he said. "It looks like I have a lot of explaining to do. Mabel, would you mind joining Delilah and Ace? I need to have a moment alone."

"Sure," she shrugged, then left to join the other two she had came with. Nanette's confused face didn't diminish in the least.

"Judah… what's going on? Why did that woman call you Joshua?" Judah took a deep breath, gave Nanette one last hug, and set her down in a nearby chair.

"Listen, Nanette," he began, "a lot of things have been going on since we parted ways--some of it's been so crazy that I don't even know where to start!! I'm gonna tell you everything, but you're gonna have to promise to listen to me all the way. All your questions will be answered, trust me." A pause.

"All right. I understand. Hey, it'll be nice to hear your voice after all this time."

"Thanks," he smiled. Another big breath of air escaped his mouth, and he prepared himself for the long story. "Whew, where should I even begin…?"

----------

Meanwhile, Tenchi, Holtz, Ayeka, Christina, and Washu were acquainting themselves with the three others who had came with Judah. There was obviously Delilah and Mabel, and the third person was a man who went by the name of Ace. Tenchi had the privilege of learning that these four people had came from a completely different galaxy, one known as the Pyrrhmeion Galaxy, and they had traveled all this way just so Judah could reunite with Nanette.

Delilah, the exotically-dressed dark-skinned woman, was Nanette's very first partner in the field of bounty hunting. She was an eloquent woman from a world where all the inhabitants had a special bond with birds of all kinds, herself having a previous connection with a raven, and a current connection with a griffin. She and Nanette had ran together in a very risky and very productive mission, and the two had became friends during that time. They never heard of each other until that very hour, so of course Nanette's reaction to seeing her friend was one of ecstasy.

The woman calling herself Judah's twin sister had the physical and biological evidence to back it up. Not only did she resemble her brother, she had the papers and the memories to back it up. Her name was Mabel Fionn, and she stated that Judah's true identity was Joshua Horace Fionn, her older brother and an expert in the Fenrir-style of martial arts (which was why they were both in such good shape). Mabel had a history as colorful as Nanette's own, and just a little similar as well.

A little earlier in her life, Mabel had been one of the most renowned bounty hunters in her galaxy. She had went by the name of "Firehands Fenrir", and anyone that got smacked by her fists would soon figure out why. She had retired from her position not too long ago, after her final mission pitted her against a maniacal and power-hungry overlord. She had reunited with her brother well before that mission, however, and the two spent nearly every waking hour catching up on lost time.

Unbeknownst to Nanette, Judah--or Joshua, as he was really called--had not been a criminal in his past, but a very normal, average young man, who just happened to be very skilled in martial arts. Somewhere around the time of their 23rd year, Joshua and Mabel, along with a large group of friends, had been attacked by the now-extinct Blackrose pirates. They had fought back, of course, but out of all the people in that struggle, they were the only ones to survive. Both siblings had received their scars in that fight (Mabel herself gave Blackrose a scar across his throat), and while Mabel was able to recover, it seemed as if Joshua did not (though it was later discovered that he had been placed in cryogenic freezing, which would account for his amnesia).

Mabel and Delilah teamed up to help the clueless young man gain his memory back, and eventually he did. But while regaining his previous life, Joshua also had the desire to reunite with the woman he fell in love with while studying as a monk, and so the three of them went on a quest to locate her. This required the aid of a machine very similar to the one that Washu had used to determine Nanette's heritage, so they _were_ able to find which planet she lived on.

The fourth addition to the team seemed the most useless, but in fact it was his skills and know-how that got the others through most of their problems. Delilah introduced him as Diamond Clubb Spadehart, or "Ace" as people called him. He was a very polite and proper gentleman, the kind that could rub elbows with royalty, but he was also an extremely skilled gambler who owned a very large branch of casinos. He and Delilah had been an item in their youth, but through some means he offended her, and the two never saw each other again until fate saw otherwise.

Through much trial and ordeal, Ace and Delilah reunited, and "the Gentlemanly Gambler" (as he was also called) proposed marriage not too long afterwards. She accepted, naturally, and the two had plans for a future wedding. When he wasn't charming people, Ace's unique brand of fighting, espionage, interrogation, and spying got his friends out of a hundred jams, and since he was still fairly young, he had lots of years left to continue his services.

"Whew!" whistled Tenchi after hearing their stories. "Holy cow! That's a lot to absorb in one sitting!"

"We're used to it," smiled Mabel lazily. "We're all used to living in the fast lane, but I think nowadays we've earned ourselves a rest. Yeah, Josh's found his love, and Delilah and Ace have found each other too. She's got herself a new bird-partner, and if I play my cards right--no pun intended, Ace--then I just might get married myself in the future."

"It's just one great big happy family," smiled Ace. "But enough about us. Please, we would like to hear your stories as well. Surely there is much that you will be able to indulge upon us."

"Oh, you have no idea!" chuckled Washu darkly.

----------

"…And, that's the way things have been," concluded Joshua. "It's been one crazy ride ever since I 'woke up', if you know what I mean, but I guess I've gotten used to it."

"Amazing," muttered Nanette, and she meant it. "That's just too incredible… So, lemme get this straight: you're not a criminal, but you _are_ a martial artist. That woman I saw earlier was your twin sister, and she helped you regain your memory. You then went up against this guy named, uh……"

"Grady Dorina."

"Right, Grady Dorina. You went up against him, and you were successful in defeating him and all his plans. After that, things settled down to the point where everyone could retire and go on to other pursuits, or continue their original line of work--or, like you, search for what was lost."

"It seems as if you've gotten everything," he smiled. "Yeah, it's been a tough road for all of us, but luckily, I have a lot of good friends, and Mabel's been my guardian angel ever since she was born." Nanette smiled at the dark-haired man, and leaned forward to cuddle in his grasp. He eagerly held her tough body in his strong arms, and breathed a scent that was never lost to him.

"Your hair smells exactly the same as it did when we first met," he muttered. Nanette smiled and sighed.

"Yeah… But we've both changed a lot."

"Yeah… Hey, you never told me what happened to _you!_ How in the worlds did you manage to come from Kiz Baldoon to this place?" Nanette sighed deeply as the name of her "second" home world reached her ears, and she laid her head on his shoulder as she thought back to those days.

"Do you really wanna know?"

"I've got time," he shrugged. Joshua smiled, and began stroking her beautiful icy-blue hair. "I have all the time in the world, Nanette…"

----------

"………Aye, tis' a strange tale you weave…"

"Yeah… it's about as strange as ours, eh?"

"Definitely…" Delilah, Mabel, and Ace all agreed that the story Tenchi and the others had told was quite unbelievable and strange, but since they all testified that it was true, the plausibility of it was no longer in question. Its strangeness was still sky-high, but then again, truth always was stranger than fiction…

"So that's where we stand now," said Tenchi after getting a drink of water. "We're out looking for that dragon-demon, and then we'll probably help with the reconstruction effort here. Nanette and Christina deserve to have a home as much as anybody else, so I think it would be best if we stayed around to help out." Behind him, Christina thanked him by playfully punching him in the shoulder.

"What about you?" he asked. They all snorted.

"I believe Delilah and myself shall be wed," said Ace as he held her hand. "Then, we shall just leave our fate to chance, as per usual."

"Old habits die hard," commented Delilah wryly. "Thou hast yet to abandon thy goddess of luck."

"_You're_ my goddess of luck now, milady," smiled the gambler. Delilah grinned and grew rosy, and the two might've made a scene if Mabel didn't interfere.

"Anyway," she coughed, "I figure that I'll probably go to live somewhere, and hopefully I'll find a good clean honest job. I'm still in pretty good shape, but I wouldn't wanna live as a bounty hunter anymore. Maybe I'll give parenting a shot. As for your dragon, I think I might actually be able to help."

"Really?" squeaked Washu, and everyone's face flew open in surprise.

"Yeah… I've been on this one planet that's supposed to be populated by terrible creatures. Don't ask me how I know this, but there's a very strong chance that your white dragon is living there."

"For real????? Where is it?!?!"

"I really don't wanna go back there," she mumbled fearfully, "but with you all coming along, I guess I can endure it. It's a place somewhere between this galaxy and ours, a planet existing in a formless pocket of space called the Drift. The planet's name is Harut."

----------

"…Harut?" The name sounded foreboding, even to battle-hardened Nanette. Joshua had been reluctant to talk about it as well, so the place must've been terrible.

"Yeah… A really dark, desolate world where the worst kinds of life cause all the chaos they want. I've been there once before, with Mabel, but that one time was enough for me. Let's just say that I don't recommend going there without a crack team of specialists."

"…I see," muttered Nanette. "…Well, what if you have Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami, Washu, two Galaxy Police officers, two guardians of Jurai, Holtz, my sister, you, Mabel, Delilah, Ace, and myself there? You think that'd constitute as a team of specialists?"

"I see your point," chuckled Joshua, who had been given very specific detail about each of the ones that Nanette had listed off. "Okay, I guess you're right. If we all go in there, there won't be a demon there who could stand up to all of us. But do you really wanna go so soon?" Nanette paused, sighed, and stared right into his black and white eyes. The determination on her face was proof enough that she wanted to leave, but just in case her love couldn't read her face, she spoke for him.

"Yes," she said, "I do."

Next chapter: Was that a little overwhelming? Well it's nothing--_nothing_, I tell you--compared to what will happen next time! Tenchi, Ayeka, Christina, Nanette, and all their friends make a journey to Harut to settle the score with the legendary archdemon Pandemonium! It's a showdown like none other, and who knows--there might be a casualty on the good guy's side! Next chapter, "No Need for Pandemonium!" It's unquestionably action-packed!! 


	14. No Need for Pandemonium!

Author's note: One long chapter, coming right up! This is to make up for the lack of updates I've given this story. I'm so sorry, everyone! Enjoy!

XIV: No Need for Pandemonium!

The empty pocket of space that was known only as the Drift was in fact an area devoid of anything, save for darkness and a large planet that technically should not have existed at all.

"What the--!" blurted Washu as she caught sight of the bizarre world. "What in the universe is goin' _on?!_ That _can't_ be right! A planet just doesn't _float_ in the middle of space! It has to have a star to orbit! This planet is a scientific impossibility!!!"

"And yet there it is," muttered Nanette as she too got a good look at the cold, gray world. "It doesn't have a sun or anything--it's just sitting there. I don't know much about astronomy myself, but I'd have to agree with Washu. I don't know how that thing's supporting itself."

"Harut is just one of those worlds that makes no sense," muttered Mabel lazily. "I've seen lots of other planets that would make everyone here piss in their pants, and I _mean_ everyone. I even visited this one world where the species changes every so often."

"The _whaaaaaaaaaaat???_" yelled Washu. Mabel smiled faintly.

"Oh yeah. It's called Chimera. Some atmospheric disturbance about a thousand years ago affected the planet, so much so that all native beings on the world change species every hundred or so days."

"But that's literally impossible!!" screamed poor Washu. "I don't care _where_ you're from--"

"You want proof?" Silence.

"…No. Thanks."

"I thought so. Anyway, Harut's just another one of those worlds that defies logic and explanation. It's just there. Now get over the shock and land already. The quicker we land and kill this whatever demon, the quicker we can leave."

"I'm with you, lady!" muttered Kiyone. "This doesn't exactly look like the best place to have a vacation."

"I've seen worse," muttered the one-eyed former bounty hunter. Almost everyone gave her an extremely doubtful look, especially Washu, but the dark-haired woman only laughed. "I've been around some of the weirdest places in my galaxy," she claimed. "Harut really isn't that bad--although I definitely won't enjoy myself here. Let's just land for now, all right?" Silence. Kiyone took a deep breath and hoped that she, and everyone else, knew what they were doing. As _Yagami_ started its landing procedure, Tenchi uttered the one sentiment that had been on everyone's mind ever since the foreboding world came into view.

"…I have a very bad feeling about all this."

If a person could touch down in Hell and actually stay sane long enough to describe it, then perhaps the best comparison to such a place would be Harut. The entire planet looked something like the moon of Earth, except that its shade was considerably darker and by no means beautiful. It bore thousands of craters, many of them quite large and heavy, and was as desolate and deserted as the aforementioned satellite. There was a breathable atmosphere, and the temperature was surprisingly warm, but with no sign of life other than the persons who had emerged from _Yagami_, everything else seemed haunting and horrifying. The place stunk of a powerful evil.

"Never thought I'd be here again," muttered Joshua as he put some fighting gloves on. Nanette had learned that her only love interest had trained under one of the top hundred martial artists in his galaxy, which would not only account for his skill, but his strength as well. His sister was the same, except that while Joshua was a fraction stronger, she was a fraction faster. When combined, the twins were literally unstoppable, but to hear them fret over a planet like Harut made even Christina feel uneasy.

"Ugh, looks like Tenchi's house after Ayeka and I had a big fight," she muttered. Nobody made any comment, positive or negative, except for continued silence and vigilance. Tenchi's previous sentiment was repeated at least three more times in the span of a single hour.

For the most part, the large traveling party wandered through the scarred wastes of Harut with nothing to show except for some footprints in the dust. Even Sasami and the two cabbits were involved in the search, because as Mabel had commented before, "We're gonna need all the help we can get." The ship, she reasoned, was expendable, but their lives were not. Both cabbits could transform into powerful spaceships and could thus tip the scales in favor of the travelers, so even they would have a use. Not a single person stayed behind to guard _Yagami_, not even Mihoshi.

Though Kiyone was starting to wish that she had.

"I'm scared!!" bawled the GP officer. Eyes rolled at the pathetic young woman.

"Mihoshi, you are _embarrassing_ me!" hissed Kiyone through clenched teeth--though even she had to admit that she knew how Mihoshi felt. Although the blonde officer was a bit on the annoying side, she was also the only person who really expressed what everyone else was feeling. Even Christina looked ready to faint, and she had seen things that would make rocks break out in a sweat.

And then…

"AAH!! Behind us!!" The screamer was unimportant; the monster wasn't. Everyone turned around and saw a vicious creature that looked like a headless Sphinx fly towards them, and the situation grew worse as another demon came in from the other side. Indescribable horrors suddenly surrounded them from all sides, and battle stations were drawn up as quickly as possible. For the first time ever, Christina and Nanette fought in cooperation and not against each other, and Ayeka and Tenchi joined them to complete the powerful quartet. However, nobody else seemed affected by the monsters.

"Help us!" screamed Ayeka. The Gentlemanly Gambler, Diamond "Ace" Spadehart, chuckled politely and removed several dice from his jacket.

"Please stand back," he said calmly. "I shall dispose of them." The three women and Tenchi each gave the gambler a look so doubtful that their faces paled, but Delilah insisted that what her fiancé said was true, so they ran and rejoined everyone else. As calmly as a spring day, Ace chucked his dice at the monsters, and to the disbelief of the four close friends, each six-sided cube exploded in a massive ball of fire!!

"Yieeeee!!!!"

"Just in case I run into any cheaters," said Ace smugly. Everyone smiled at him like he did that sort of thing all the time, which left Tenchi and his entourage all the more puzzled.

"No time for questions!" shouted Kiyone as she pointed her gun. "We've got a whole bunch of them coming in at 7:00!"

"And two big ones at eleven and one!" shouted Washu. The gang was once again surrounded by a hoard of monstrous creatures: smaller winged ones from behind, and two colossal creatures ahead. The GP officers and everyone else with projectile weapons took the flying critters, while the Fionn twins smiled at each other as they confronted the two behemoths.

"It sure has been awhile since we fought together!" remarked Joshua. His sister heartily agreed.

"For real! I only hope that these two beasts are worth our time!" Before Tenchi could turn around and demand a sanity check from the twins, they both bum-rushed each gigantic monster and slammed their powerful fists into their bellies. The beasts keeled over from such massive attacks, and together, the brother and sister duo literally threw the huge monsters at least ten meters away!!!

"Aww, that was too easy!" moaned Joshua. "Man!! I was hoping for a good fight!"

"We could sure use some help over here!!" screamed Kiyone as she continued to blast at the flying creatures. Christina was firing shot after shot from her hands and Nanette was doing the same, so between the sisters, many winged demons fell down to the ground in a dead heap--yet more came in to replace them. Washu, as always, had a plan to get rid of the pests.

"Stand back," she warned as she tucked her hand in her bag. The faint smile of a mad genius told everyone that they should run for their very lives, and run they did. Washu then pulled out what looked to be a spherical object no bigger than a pea, this time making everyone save Tenchi's friends puzzled.

"Surely the lady jests!" gawked Delilah. "I durst not judge the size of an object, but this time I may make an exception! Tis' but a marble she uses against an army!"

"That may be all she needs," muttered Tenchi dreadfully. "Remember, this is _Washu_ we're talking about." Poor Delilah, who didn't know the redheaded maniac that well, merely gave the boy a doubtful look before ducking behind a large boulder. In the meantime, Washu had loaded the pea in a shooter, and was ready to…… "attack".

"Take THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed as she fired the tiny object. Everyone braced themselves for an inevitable explosion, but to their extreme shock, the weapon only flew and smacked up against a creature, stinging it but otherwise leaving it unharmed! As the pea flew uselessly to the floor, so too did everyone else in a faint of surprise.

"Whaaaat?" sang Washu. "It's nothing more than a pea! Did you think it was some kind of super-explosive or something?" Again, everyone fell to the floor in a horrified heap, but somehow managed to get up and express their feelings to the genius.

"YOU IDOIOT!!!!!!!! You mean to tell us that that was just a--" Before Christina could complete her tirade, a sudden wall of horrifying heat belched out of the earth, incinerating every single last flying creature within distance! The only thing remaining were ashes, a few echoing screams, and Washu's maniacal laughter.

"……Because if you _did_ think that it was a super powerful explosion, then you'd be _RIGHT!!!!!_" The entire gang fell to the floor yet again in a surprised and stupefied heap…

But soon, the monsters stopped being so easy. Not only did they increase in extreme difficulty (thus sickeningly granting Joshua's wish), but also in number, so much so that even the weakest of them now became a challenge. The Fionn twins had to fight like their lives suddenly depended on it against the more difficult demons, whereas Sasami, the cabbits, and Washu each did their best against the impossible numbers. Mihoshi's dumb luck got her far, as did Kiyone's crack shot, but perhaps even a hundred GP officers would seem too little an army to fight all the demons.

Delilah's new partner, a magnificent and regal griffin she had named Arc, was partially responsible for slaying the more vicious creatures; she herself dealt with smaller beasts. Her future husband had as many tricks up his sleeve as any real gambler did, from razor-tipped throwing cards to darts infused with magical powers, and even a roulette wheel with a razor ring around it. His supply of exploding dice handled many of the groups of enemies, and when things got especially rough, Ace pulled out his dreaded One-Armed Bandit.

"Place your bets," he sneered with cruel satisfaction. The charmer of Lady Luck always got a nasty combination whenever he pulled on the lever, which was good for the team and bad for the demons. Of course, Tenchi, Christina, Nanette, and Ayeka didn't just stand by and watch either. The only male of the group had his sword that bore his name, and many a monster fell to the power of the Jurai weapon.

Ayeka, a surprising master of the naginata, slew just as many enemies as Tenchi did, and Christina had to admit that the princess looked awfully regal when she was in the midst of a battle. The loveable duo of Azaka and Kamidake used their guardian's powers to blow away any enemy that got too close, and of course, the twin sisters slashed apart many beasts. Yet for all their fighting, the large group could barely hold their own against such a massive onslaught of demons.

"I told you this was a bad idea!!" screamed Mabel over the chaos. Her brother heartily agreed and smashed the skull of a dragon with his powerful attack.

"Yeah! A little too late now!!"

"It's a shame all our other friends are absent!" remarked Ace as he dealt another deck. "Even if your sister and her friends were here, we would not have any problems!"

"Yeah?! Well, we're improvising now!" Ace pursed his lips and concentrated more on the battle and less on wishful thinking. He did, after all, have a wife-to-be to think about, and what kind of a gentleman would he be if she got hurt?

"This is insanity!" screamed Ayeka as she sliced apart another goblin. "Where are all these beasts coming from??"

"If I knew, I'd blow it up!!" swore Christina, who was manhandling a Cyclops with her sister. Ayeka agreed with her friend and returned her focus to battling. Suddenly, as Washu threw another acid-filled test tube at the enemies, she came up with an idea.

"Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't the four of you go off and find Pandemonium!!"

"What?!" screamed Tenchi (he had to, considering the melee). "We can't just leave you guys here!!"

"If you take out the source then the others will die out!" suggested the scientist. "I don't know if that's true or not but I'm willing to take a gamble!"

"I'll support you!!" volunteered Ace. Washu grinned at the sophisticated joke he made, and whacked an enemy with the back of her fist without moving anything save her arm.

"Worry not about ourselves!!" shouted Delilah. "I assure thee, mine friends, that I alone hath faced foes far worse than these present, though mayhaps not in quite so many numbers! Go, prithee! We shalt handle the lion's share of foes! Thou shouldst make haste to the king and rob him of his crown!!" A pause.

"Huh?"

"JUST GO, YOU NIMRODS!!!!!" screamed Mabel and Joshua simultaneously. The male of the two gave Nanette an assuring smile and a hearty thumbs-up.

"We'll be okay!" he said. "Mabel and I grew up in a rough neighborhood, so this is nothing for us! Remember, we helped slaughter the infamous Blackrose pirates!!" Nanette took in a deep breath, gnawed on her lower lip, and nodded fiercely.

"All right!" she shouted. "We're going! And if any of you die on us, then I'll never forgive you!" Washu agreed, somewhat.

"Right! Sure! Fine! Whatever! Go! Get! Scramble! Skidaddle!!" And just like that, the quartet of Tenchi, Ayeka, Christina, and Nanette sprinted off to where they thought the master demon was--though to be honest, they didn't have any idea as to where they were going.

"Good," sighed Washu as she saw them leaving. "Now, maybe we can fight these beasts with a little less restraint…!"

"You were holding back?!" sputtered Kiyone. Washu gave the officer an impish smile and winked her twinkling eyes.

"But of course, m'dear!" The officer rolled her eyes.

"Ho, boy……"

The run to Pandemonium's lair was quite possibly the most horrifying experience that Tenchi or anyone else had went through. Unlike the mediocre ferocity of the previous melee, the monsters and demons that sailed past the foursome were more vicious and deadly than the imagination allowed. Tenchi actually decided to fight one of the bigger ones that was blocking his way, but found the creature's skin to be so thick that even his sword could do little to penetrate it.

"Just run!!" screamed Christina as she yanked on her love's arm. Tenchi heartily agreed and sprinted as fast as humanly possible away from the giant. It seemed as if the entire planet was screaming at them, for the army of demonic creatures multiplied the further they ran. Most of them thankfully ignored the three girls and one man, as their destination was the battle, but a few of the nastier ones decided to stop on by for a little pre-battle scrap.

"You sick freak!!!" shouted Nanette as she snarled at the three-headed dragon currently blocking her way. "You wanna fight? _You wanna fight??! Then you're gonna GET a fight!!!!_" With a simple war-cry of Death, Nanette rushed the being and plunged her sword deep into the creature's backside, piercing its heart, spine, and everywhere else in between. The sword came out dripping with goo; Nanette snarled as she kicked the creature away.

"Who else wants some?!" she challenged. A hippogriff answered her call for bloodlust with a battle-cry of its own, but this one was dealt with by Christina's own rage. Yet even with such powerful feats of anger and strength, the hordes of monsters never stopped coming, which left the group little choice but to--

"RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!" What seemed to be the granddaddy of all Horrors had emerged from the bowels of the planet as soon as the foursome thought themselves safe, and while the black monstrosity looked insanely powerful, it didn't notice the four insignificant creatures scurrying beneath it.

"Don't need to tell me twice!!" yelled Tenchi, and the four friends dashed onward, to an area where they hoped Pandemonium would be--or else just another nest of indescribable creatures. Either way, it was going to be one wild show.

After nearly killing themselves just from the frantic run, the four friends stopped near a cave to rest themselves up. Even the most physically-fit of the group was heaving like all get-out, which meant that Tenchi and Ayeka looked ready to pass out. The wounds they had received from such a mad dash were unimportant, and would probably heal by themselves within a couple of days--_if_ they survived that long.

The cave they were resting by, meanwhile, was looking more and more suspicious by the minute. Not only did everyone present feel the chill that came out of its mouth, but they also sensed their own horror as they stared at the maw. Four throats swallowed down four wads of nervous anticipation, but it seemed as if the bulk of the planet's evil was emanating from this opening.

"Hey, guys," whispered Christina, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I daren't _ask_ what you're thinking," muttered Ayeka.

"Ha, ha. I'm serious. How much you wanna bet that our dragon's in that cave?"

"I'd say, all the money I have," said Nanette. "All we need is a damsel in distress now, and a dashing knight to charge in and slay the beast."

"Here's the damsel," said Christina, giving Ayeka a shove. Her shove was then aimed at Tenchi. "And here's the knight." Neither the "damsel" nor the "knight" had any comment for Christina, but it was agreed that the four of them should at least investigate the cave. Even if it led to nowhere, it would be one less place that they had looked, and besides, the place was completely monster-free.

But an area lacking monsters can still be frightening, as was the case of the innards of the cave. The place was a whole new definition of dark, and it was just as cold as well. It was wet in some places and the silence was so overwhelming that the sound of their hearts beating was like listening to four bass drums going off. Light was forbidden in the place, but Nanette and Christina were always up for breaking taboos, and thus two illuminating torches came from their respective weapons. Emptiness.

"I don't want to sound like a coward, but I hope that we're the only ones in this cave," groaned Tenchi. Nobody blamed him for his fear, or for his wish. Then again, even the presence of the smallest critter would have brought some comfort, but the place was devoid of even bats--even insects! Tenchi and his female comrades were literally the only living creatures in that whole cave, and that was just another part of their fear.

So, it was quite acceptable that the four of them held each other's hands, with the girls going for Tenchi and Nanette going for her sister. Even the two former rogues had to admit that the place was creepy, and Ayeka, who had seen the bulk of the universe, was very near being petrified. Poor Earthbound Tenchi had his eyes open and ready, watching for anything that came out, but nothing emerged except the cave's own darkness.

Surprisingly, a light became visible to the four friends when they neared the end of the cave. Seeing the glowing ahead of them, the four rushed to it as quickly as possible, concluding that there was nothing in the cave except for their own selves. However, by the time they emerged from the cavernous hole, they encountered not a comforting beacon of hope, nor did they discover a radiant illumination in front of them. Instead, they met the very abomination in which they had been seeking, right there outside the cave's exit, apparently waiting for them to emerge. With but one single dull roar, Pandemonium was able to make even Christina's heart skip a terrifying beat.

Poor Tenchi, completely stupefied by the sudden appearance of the beast, gave the pure-white creature a smile so weak and watery that it was very well eligible for a record.

"…Uhh… hehehe… I think we found our dragon…" he muttered. The abominable monster before them growled again, spewing out smoke from its nostrils as it glared at the foursome. It was ten times more hideous in person than it had been on Washu's computer, and a thousand times deadlier. The monster was completely white, all over its body, even on the belly and the throat. This was not a pure sort of white, but a kind of grayish hue, suggesting an adulteration in the omnicolor.

The creature itself was actually smaller than _Yagami_, but it was still a large beast. It had a single ivory head with a mouth full of teeth, with four aqua eyes, long whiskers, and a foul smoke from its nostrils. It had four arms in the front and four in the back, with six dragon wings spread or folded on its back. The creature had ten horns on its head, and two massive tails, and gave off a kind of aura that had yet to gain a description. The creature was horror and terror personified--or, to be more precise, it was the living, breathing definition of pandemonium.

And it had not even moved yet.

"Is this…… the dragon?" hissed Nanette fearfully. The horror in her voice sounded unnatural, but given the scenario, it was perfectly acceptable to be scared. Not even Kagato could've stood up to the thing without soiling himself, and perhaps only the fanatical assassin Fumus Adhvanit could have really bore the monster's stare. To make things worse, the beast actually had the gift of speech, and what it said did anything but comfort the four heroes.

**_"What art thou, who so dareth to stain this planet with thy presence?"_** The creature's voice was incredibly dark and gravelly, and had a kind of slurping sound to it as well--like a gigantic cheese shredder scraping up against concrete in a very dark bass tone. Tenchi's reply, on the other hand, was anything but bold.

"………Uh…… we, uhhh……"

**_"Thou shalt die,"_** addressed the monster in its dark, gravelly voice. It lumbered forward with a single step, and swiped at the four heroes with its two massive tails. The power in one of those appendages was strong enough to turn _Yagami_ into a pile of scrap, but the four friends luckily avoided both blows. As Nanette and Christina landed from their high leap, they snarled at the dragon and found their backbone.

"Do you remember the name of Stohk, dragon?!" snarled Nanette. "What about Tg? Huh? Answer us!!"

**_"Those names were but insignificant tallies in mine great list of conquered worlds,"_** growled the dragon. **_"Prithee, wherefore dost thou inquire about such a repulsively dull name and place?"_**

"We are the last two survivors of that family name!!" shouted Christina. "You destroyed our home, you sick freak!! You laid waste to the only thing we've ever really had in this life!! Our family, our home, our people…… They're all gone, thanks to you!!!"

**_"Thou art mistaken, woman!"_** grunted the dragon. **_"I did little but spurn the people into war. These citizens of thine home planet could have presented such destruction themselves. My own self is naught to blame, fool; rather, aim thy judgment on others, as tis' their own wrongdoings which wrought thy world asunder."_**

"You malevolent, spiteful, malicious worm!!" shouted Ayeka. "It is true that these people were spurned into a war, but who do you think convinced them to go through with it! _You!_ And who was it that killed the parents of my two dear friends here?"

**_"Myself,"_** admitted the dragon darkly. **_"Thou tellest the truth when thou accuseth me of slaughtering thine kin. Tis' also true that perhaps a war would not have occurred had mine presence not been there! Yet, tis' also not the fault of thine people that thy world is crumbled?"_**

"I'm getting sick of your mouth!!" shouted Nanette, igniting her weapon to its fullest power. "I don't even care about that stupid war! I'm just gonna kill you cuz' you were the one who robbed me of a decent childhood! Do you see these two other women here?! They are the closest people to me, and yet when I first met them, I was their mortal enemy! If you had not existed, then maybe I would've had the chance to really know and love them, as it should have been!!! But now……" Nanette's ferocity had accelerated beyond even what she had possessed during her long stint as Nagi, and the rage that this woman bore was equivalent to that of an erupting volcano. Christina, however, was worse.

"Don't expect me to leave you alive, either!!" she roared, igniting her own weapon. "I have lost a family, a home, and a thousand other possibilities because of one stupid event that happened when I was born! I was forced to live on the street as a beggar because my original home was destroyed, and…… and…… I ended up fighting my own sister, and over what?!?! Some stupid space pirate and bounty hunter business?!?" With a sudden animalistic cry, Fatima Christina Marcella Stohk released every last ounce of pent-up rage she had kept bubbled up, and screamed out the name of her former mortal enemy.

"Nagi!!!!!!" Tears came to her eyes as a sudden silence fell on her, and the woman formerly known as Ryoko smiled. "…I love you, Nanette…"

"And I love you, my dear sister…" Nanette's own smile was strong, but Pandemonium wasn't buying their emotional moment.

**_"Waste not mine time, fools! Mine own powers art far superior to anything thou canst ever conceiveth! With but a single breath, I may slay countless lives, or else use this power to rip entire worlds to ashes! Yet I choose not to utilize such terror, as it is more beneficial to enlist others to mine diabolical cause! …So, do not think that thy battle-cries shalt save thee. They that challenge Pandemonium DIE."_**

"Then we will most certainly be an exception!" stated Ayeka boldly. Her naginata had been replaced by a laser sword very similar to her comrades', and though on the outside she always wore the guise of a princess, inwardly she was a ferocious tigress (Christina could vouch for that easily), and her skills in battle were surprising.

"I, as Princess of Jurai, do solemnly swear, on my own royal blood if need be, that you shall not live to see another life wasted! Prepare yourself for the merciless claw of Death, old roach, and may it be a painful one!"

"I'm not one for speeches!" shouted Tenchi suddenly. "So… I say we cut this chatter and give this beast what for!"

"Well-said," smiled Nanette. "You don't say much, friend, but when you do it's to the point. Well, sis, Princess, you up for a little dragon-whoopin'?"

"I'm _always_ ready to kick butt!" grinned Christina maliciously, and the other three people could swear that Ryoko had come back to them for one last, great fight.

"I suppose I could go along with you ladies!" stated Tenchi as he held his blade. "Who knows? This might actually be fun!"

"_Fun?!_" squealed Ayeka in disbelief. "Tenchi, I cannot believe what you have just said!!" A pause. Ayeka nearly exploded with giddiness. "This won't be fun! This is gonna be one hellacious shindig, ah tell you what!!!" Christina let out a cheer; Pandemonium looked about as frightened of the girls as a tiger would be scared of a worm.

**_"I am not the one to approach when thou desireth thine wishes granted,"_** he grumbled. **_"Yet, for thine wish of Death, I shalt make exception!"_**

"I dare you!!" snarled Tenchi. "I just dare you!" The great white dragon turned its head to stare directly at Tenchi, and about half of the boy's courage drained out of him when the monster did.

**_"Thou,"_** addressed the beast, **_"should be first to perish."_** With the power and speed of a bolt of lightning, Pandemonium shot his head towards the young boy and snapped at him with his razor-sharp teeth. But Tenchi's smaller size enabled him to leap over the gaping maw, and the boy even slashed at the dragon's head as he sailed past him. A powerful scream, mixed in with a roar of agony, came out of the dragon's mouth as the sword made contact. A mighty scar on the creature's face remained--but one of its eyes did not.

Tenchi smiled.

"Woo-hoo!" squealed Christina. "That's my man! That's my man! Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Tenchi smiled at her cheer, but all playfulness vanished as the great white dragon glared at the young boy. The creature raised its head to the dark sky above, strained slightly, and with a mighty groan, the massive scar that Tenchi had delivered vanished completely. Needless to say, the young boy was taken aback by this sudden development.

"…What?! Huh? How did he--"

**_"Thou didst not expect me to have healing powers, eh?!"_** cried the dragon. Tenchi's face drowned in sweat, but his nervousness died quickly as his resolve only grew stronger. He held his sword like a baseball bat, and challenged his fate again.

"This could be bad," muttered Nanette. "This guy's really big, which probably means he's slow, so I don't think we'll have a problem hitting him. But if the blasted thing can heal himself, I don't know what we can do!"

"Then we shall have to just swing at him at such a speed where he cannot recover!" stated Ayeka. The quiet princess quickly turned into a strategic master in the blink of an eye, and soon she was giving orders right and left. "Nanette! You and Christina try chopping off its appendages! I doubt he'll be able to recover those so easily! Tenchi! You attack his blind side! That cut you made hit his eye, and I don't think that part was recovered! I'll come in from the rear!"

"Right!" The four friends split up and attacked the dragon from all sides, but to their sudden shock, Pandemonium shed off his slow guise and turned into a ferociously fast demon, with limbs and appendages and teeth attacking in literally every single direction. The beast was like a living hurricane, only _worse_, and every swipe and swish he took had the power to send a garbage truck halfway across a city. How any of the four friends were able to avoid his hits was unknown; perhaps there were a few especially close calls, in which a faint scrape was made, or a small scar, or--

WHAM!!!

With a sudden spin, Pandemonium smacked his tail right into Christina, sending her crashing to the cratered ground like a shooting star. The woman herself made an impressive dent in the planet, but the destruction was overshadowed by everyone else's screams.

"Christina!!!" Pandemonium let out a horrifying yell and opened his stinking mouth to spew out a fire of purest white, and the flames had so much power in them that they literally turned the rocks into dust. Tenchi had his clothes severely burned just by avoiding such a blaze, and Nanette had to utilize her most powerful light shield to save herself; she had been in the midst of the inferno, and just barely escaped with her clothes blackened. That one light shield was so powerful, it had the ability to block a falling meteor, yet for all its worth, it was just barely able to block the flames spewed from the terrible dragon.

Ayeka quickly ran over to her friend, hoping against all hope that Christina was still alive. The icy-haired woman would be fortunate if her bones hadn't been shattered to dust from the blow, or if her lungs had imploded from the extreme exhalation of air. That tail had _power_ in it, and it was just one; a second was there in case its twin failed. Ayeka bent down in the dusty ground and immediately started digging out what she hoped were Christina's remains, but Nanette couldn't distract the dragon forever. Tenchi came over to help, but was quickly sent back into the battle after the dragon slapped at Nanette.

**_"Thou art strong,"_** commented the creature. **_"And yet, thou fallest like flies. Art thou so foolish as to face me, the Demon of Conquest?"_** The dragon roared and grumbled a bit, then turned around to aim its fires directly at Ayeka. She let out a shriek as the blaze came forth, but some great powerful aegis emerged directly in front of her, blocking the heat of the flames. Ayeka nearly broke a blood vessel when she saw who had saved her.

"Christina!!"

"That's another one you owe me, princess!!" shouted the former pirate. Christina looked like she had been buried alive, and maybe in a wrestling match with a bear or two, but otherwise fine. Ayeka knew that her closest of all friends was tough, but unless she had some really powerful shields, there would've been no possible way to survive that hit _and_ the crash to the ground.

"How--"

"Darned if I know!" snarled Christina as she used one of her energy shields to block the flames. "It felt like some kinda force field surrounded me before he hit me. It still hurt like Hades, though, so I'm not 100% well." Ayeka still breathed a sigh of relief, and stood back on her feet to face the monstrosity before her. She quickly made her escape as Christina's light shield died away; meanwhile, Tenchi had wisely snuck up on the dragon while his attention was aimed at the girls, and with a mighty slash, he split the dragon's body.

Another roar came from the creature, but unlike the previous attack, Tenchi had no desire to give the monster time to heal. He was already running to an exposed side--Pandemonium was just large enough to have a few of them--and found one just before the demon could recover. He rammed his blade in all the way to the hilt, and dared the beast to recover from _that_. Of course, the three girls refused to let Tenchi hog all the fun, and teamed up to perform a lethal triple technique on the beast.

"Let's clip this bat's wings!" shouted Nanette as she led the charge. While Tenchi buried his sword in the beast's side, the girls leaped on top of the demon's back and dashed across the short distance. With the injury occupying every second of his strategy, Pandemonium couldn't even beat his wings as a weak defense, and as quick as lightning, the girls hacked off two of them each. It would take infinitely longer for the beast to recover from _that_, no matter how powerful he was.

**_"Infidels!!"_** screamed the monster. **_"You are but mosquitoes to me! Do you not even know who I am?! I am Pandemonium, borne out of Chaos and ascended from on high to wreak disorder, chaos, confusion, and turmoil across the land!!"_**

"Blah, blah, blah!" spat Christina. "Listen, pal, maybe if you didn't talk so much, you might be able to--"

SMACK!!!

The dragon's massive paws slapped Christina so hard that not even the cave's wall stopped her flight, but it definitely slowed them down. As Tenchi and the other ladies rushed to their friend's aide, the dragon chortled out a sick laugh.

**_"Thou wast saying?"_** Nanette, Ayeka, and Tenchi, all of whom loved Christina and cared for her deeply, glared back at the dragon with more rage than a normal person should've possessed.

"You will **_die_** for that!!!" screamed Nanette. "NOBODY MESSES WITH MY SISTER!!!!!" The ferocious woman known as Nagi seemed to emerge yet again as Nanette dashed forth, and with her laser sword on full power, she cleaved and hacked at the monster with a fury and power unknown. Her sword moved blindingly fast, and every direct hit came with a scream or a curse from the "lovely" lady.

"Oh no, you don't!" snapped Ayeka. "I refuse to let you avenge our dear little friend all by yourself! Stand aside, woman!!" With the ferocity of a tigress, Ayeka joined her new friend, and the girls went absolutely ballistic on the demon. Meanwhile, Tenchi dedicated himself to seeing if Christina was okay, and he had to search through a great deal of rubble to find her.

Upon digging Christina out from the rocks, Tenchi actually shed a tear as he beheld her beaten frame. Unlike himself or the other two ladies, poor Christina had received Pandemonium's wrath not once, but _three times_ in the battle. She looked genuinely busted up, poor girl, and ever-compassionate Tenchi felt compelled to do nothing else except press his own face against her mashed cheeks.

"Just give this sleeping beauty a little more time to rest," came a weak voice from her mouth. Tenchi smiled warmly as Christina's golden eyes fluttered open, and a sigh of relief came out of his mouth. He quickly removed several of the rocks that she had been buried under, and when her smashed arms were freed, she began to help.

"I'm such a masochist," muttered Christina playfully, though it was clear she was probably too injured to fight. She finally gave out after attempting to lift a big rock, but Tenchi was able to pull her out before long. He hoisted her arm over his shoulder and carried her back to the battlefield, where Nanette's and Ayeka's rage had subsided. They, too, were now receiving a beating from the dragon, but it was clear that they had not gone down without a fight. The creature was missing a few legs and had some unhealed scars all over its body. One more of his eyes had been completely slashed apart, and even a few of his teeth had been knocked away.

Unfortunately, Nanette and Ayeka looked like they were about to collapse. Thinking quickly, or maybe just not thinking at all, Tenchi shouted out to the dragon and gained his attention just long enough for the two women to limp away. The brave young man attempted to hack at the dragon's throat with his next attack, but was soundly mauled for his efforts. He flew back a few good meters and slammed into the ground, and that was it: everyone was in too poor of a shape to fight. Rage and sorrow could only carry them so far; this beast was just too powerful.

"…Man!" groaned Tenchi as he tried to get back up. "This thing's… really… powerful…!"

"More like abominable…" groaned Ayeka as she caught her breath. "We hit him… for all we were worth… and still… weren't able… to do… much damage…"

"The freak's strong, I'll give you that!" muttered Nanette as she nursed a less-serious wound. If there had been a contest to see which of the four looked the worst for wear, a winner might never have been found. Each of them had been struck down pretty hard, and it seemed as if all of the fight had left them.

Pandemonium slowly started to heal itself.

**_"Such is the fate of all they that standeth in opposition to mine self!"_** growled the monster darkly. **_"And as thou standeth in weakness, so thou shalt die, as millions of others hath died before thee…"_** The dragon then did the impossible--it actually seemed to grow even _more_ powerful--and started storing up for what appeared to be a final attack. From the increasing seismic activity caused by such an increase in power, the attack had the potential to eat away at the entire planet--or at least the ability to turn Tenchi and every living creature on that world into powder.

In layman's terms, they were screwed.

"This sucks," snarled Christina weakly. Everyone turned to face her, and were surprised to see her struggling to stand. Considering the beating she had gotten, she technically shouldn't have even been living, let alone standing. She was a tough woman, yes--but she wasn't _that_ tough.

"…Sis…"

"I'm bad," muttered the icy-haired woman as she limped towards her comrades, "but I'm not that bad. There ain't no way we can win against this thing, unless one of you has come up with some brilliant scheme. Princess?"

"…Sorry," moaned Ayeka. "Nothing. There's nothing we can do." A dark pause.

"Tenchi?" He merely shook his head, wishing with all his might that there was something they could do. "……Sis?"

"All we can really do now is hold each other," said Nanette in a dark but soft voice. The dejected look on Christina's face lasted only a few seconds, then the woman put on a look that told she had much more nobility than her title suggested. Slowly, Christina joined the three most cherished people in her life--her sister, her best friend, and her one true love--and together, they held hands and waited for The End.

And then, a miracle happened.

To the astonishment of everyone present, a radiating sphere of light suddenly surrounded them, blinding Pandemonium and causing everyone else to stutter in shock. But this light was warm, and friendly, and so familiar that the gang could've sworn that they had felt it before. In an instant, the wounds of the four heroes were completely healed--but that was just the beginning of the miracle.

With their hands still clasped together, the four friends mysteriously _rose into the air_, by no other power save for the one being generated by the light. Tenchi had Christina and Ayeka holding his hands; the princess was holding his and Nanette's hand, and the former bounty hunter held her friend's and sister's hands each. The four of them slowly rose into the air, and somehow parted ways, slowly diverging into four separate corners. Gradually, they seemed to form a perfect square surrounding the dragon, their arms still outstretched and still technically holding the other person's.

A beam of powerful light, as bright lightning, soon shot out of their hands, until there was a full, gigantic, genuine square of light surrounding the demon, with Tenchi, Ayeka, Christina, and Nanette acting as the corners. None of the four knew what this signified… but soon, they would.

"I do not believe it!" exclaimed Ayeka. "These are…… no! It's not! Augh! But, it is! They are! These are… the mythical Light Hawk Wings!!!!!"

"SAY WHAT!!!!" screamed the twins. Their broken concentration didn't affect the square in the least. "…You mean to tell us that _we_ generated the Light Hawk Wings?!?!"

"It seems so!" concluded the princess. "Christina! You and I… the former enemies, who later became friends! And Nanette! You and Christina, the enemies who were connected by blood! And Tenchi! You are the one who drew us all together!!"

"But I don't understand!" he shouted in that same frantic tone of his. Ayeka gave off a faint smile.

"Remember that prophecy that old man Holtz showed us in that church? And remember how you all thought it referred to us? Well, it seems as if it really did! It _really_ did! The power and strength generated from all four of us--the four who were so far apart, but now were so close together--that very energy _must have_ created the Light Hawk Wings! It _has_ to be why!!!!"

"So that must've been what protected me from that monster!" concluded Christina. "Man oh man, if I knew I could've done that before…"

"I don't care how it happened, as long as we can use it against big, bad, and ugly over there!!" shouted Nanette. Her sister agreed.

"Yeah! …Though I must admit, it's nice to be in possession of the legendary Light Hawk Wings!!"

"I still don't understand!" shouted a frantic Tenchi. "What the heck is a Light Hawk Wing?!" The Stohk sisters each gave him a puzzled look, as if this was information he should've known all along, but Ayeka was a little more patient with him.

"…The true power of Jurai," she whispered. Tenchi gazed into her ruby-red eyes from across the square's divide, and seemed to understand that at least. Suddenly, the lights fizzled and faded, and the four friends were dropped to the ground. But in their hands were weapons of unimaginable powers--four fragments of the Light Hawk Wings, to be exact. As the indescribably-mighty and powerful tools throbbed in their hands, sending pulse after pulse of unimaginable power through their veins, the four heroes knew exactly what they had to do.

The tables, they noted, had taken a turn.

**_"Light Hawk Wings…"_** muttered Pandemonium. Now that the dragon was surrounded by wielders of the legendary power, he no longer held an air of superiority to him. The demon almost seemed to hang his head in defeat. **_"…Then, I am doomed."_**

"Oh, yeah!" shouted Christina. "It's payback time, you sick, twisted, malevolent, no-good, evil, wicked, nasty, putrid, rotten--"

"I think that'll do it, sis!!" shouted Nanette. Christina apologized, and together, all four of the warriors held up their hands, igniting a flash of light that surrounded them. Their hearts all pulsed as one, and together, they rushed towards the demonic, doomed dragon, and uttered the name of their attack.

__

Four Stars

Four impossibly fast warriors sailed past the dragon, cleaving him so finely that perhaps only God Himself could've seen it. Tenchi, Ayeka, Christina, and Nanette put the entire power of the Light Hawk Wings in their attack, and as they completed it and landed on the opposite side of the vanished square, they turned around to view the fruits of their offensive.

Pandemonium took in a deep breath as he gave the girls and their male companion an icy glare. A puff of steam came out of his nostrils, and without a single word, the creature collapsed on the ground, and shattered into a billion pieces. The broken parts of the dragon then melted into fine powder, and the breezes of Harut carried and dispersed the powder until there was nothing left of the creature except for a memory.

As the breeze blew away the last of the dust, Tenchi collapsed himself and fell to the ground, too overjoyed and exhausted to do anything else. Princess Ayeka followed suit, then came Christina Stohk and her twin sister Nanette, and the four heroes laid on the ground in silent victory, and stared at the stars.

"Well," muttered Tenchi after a few minutes, "that sure was an experience!"

Next chapter: WHEW! Was that long or what? (Actually, I once wrote a chapter that was 40 pages long! It's true! This one was only 16!) Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah! This may be the end of the great white dragon known as Pandemonium, but the story still has enough life left in it for a few more chapters! The conclusion is far from over, next chapter: "No Need for an Aftermath!" It's unquestionably profound!


	15. No Need for an Aftermath!

XV: No Need for an Aftermath!

"Sire!"

The Grand Ruler of the Glorious Empire of Jurai, His Most Excellent and Majestic Highness Emperor Asuza Jurai, turned around to see what his attendant wanted.

"Yes?"

"We're receiving a transmission, sire!" said the attendant. The Grand Ruler of the Glorious Empire, etc. etc., gave his attendant a look that suggested the "lesser" man elaborate.

"And…?"

"…It's… well… it's from a very unusual location, sire!"

"Define 'unusual'," commanded the Most Excellent and Majestic, etc. etc., Emperor Asuza. The attendant curtly nodded his head.

"Ah, yes, yes, uh… Well, sire, you may not believe this, sire, but the transmission we are receiving is coming from, uhh… Well, sire, it's coming from--"

"Just say it, man!" barked His Most Royal Excellency, etc. etc. The attendant stuttered and stood at attention.

"Y-yes, sire! It… it comes from _Tg_, sire!" Suddenly, and in a very literal sense, the Emperor's most royal blood paused in his veins, every last blue cell. This cease in circulatory activity was for but a second, as the aged ruler completely contemplated what his servant had just said. Asuza, experienced as he was, had been taken by surprise by this most unexpected response.

"…Did… did I hear you correctly, man?" he muttered. "Did you, in all your cheek, not mention the very name of that forgotten world, that of Tg, in the Minida system!"

"I did say it, Your Highness," affirmed the servant. Asuza swallowed a royal wad of nervousness and doubt.

"…You must be lying," he whispered, though he himself dared to believe such a thing. "I command you, as Emperor of this most sacred and powerful Empire, to hereby give me truthful testimony, else I shall personally lop your head off for traitorous misleading!" A pause. The attendant's life now depended on his next few words, so he made them count.

"If… if you please, sire, I am merely a messenger. Our, ah, transmitters have indeed received this message, straight from Tg itself, and as unbelievable as it is, if you'll be so kind as to follow me, I can--"

"No, that won't be necessary," said His Most Befuddled Highness with a royal wave of his hand. "I…… I suppose that I shall have to believe you. I shall personally make a sojourn to the receiving room to ascertain the validity of such a message--and Tsunami willing, I will dare respond to it!! Dismissed!" Knowing better than to not question an order from _The_ Emperor, the lowly servant took a hasty bow and escorted himself out of the Emperor's royal chambers before he could be accused of or questioned about anything else. In the meantime, His Most Startled Majesty ran his hand down his sweaty royal face, and breathed in several astonished breaths.

"Can it even be possible…" he muttered to himself. "Can Tg…… really be trying to contact me…? But… were not my dear friends killed so many years ago? Then, whom…?"

He would just have to find that out. The Grand and Golden Emperor of the Glorious and Graceful Empire of Jurai shook his questions off for the time being, and slowly marched straight towards where the Main Communications Room was. Here, hundreds upon hundreds of messages were received and given, though very few were ever so important that they actually made it to the Emperor's ears. This one, figured the servant that had delivered such news, must have indeed been worth it, and with the mention of the long-destroyed Tg, the Emperor couldn't help but agree.

"Emperor Asuza of Jurai! Salute!!" As soon as His Most Excellent and Regal Emperor placed his most excellent and regal feet inside the communications room, a nearby soldier announced his sudden presence, causing everyone in the room to stand and salute as boldly as possible. Asuza immediately went over to the visual monitor that transmitted messages from the Minida system (which had coincidentally been inactive for roughly a decade or so) and he gave the receiver a single stern look.

"Your Majesty!" blurted the technician. "I… we… that is, to say… ahh…"

"Who is it?" asked a Royally-Calm Asuza. The technician swallowed.

"It seems to be… Lady Ayeka, sire!" he said. Asuza's face twitched in surprise.

"Ayeka? What is she doing on Tg? I thought she was on extended holiday. Even Earth is a better place to be than Tg!"

"She just told me to summon you, Milord!" replied the receiver. "Here, sire! You can probably receive your answers best from her!" Asuza nodded in agreement, and let the technician turn on the transmitter once again. In an instant, the image of Jurai's first princess, Lady Ayeka, came to view for all in the immediate area to see. Asuza, who had not seen his eldest daughter for some time, almost let out a fond smile--but his questions prevented such an emotion from coming out.

"Why _hello_, father!" exclaimed the princess in a happy voice. "How _are_ you doing?"

"Ayeka! Would you care to explain to me why you're on Tg! I would very much like to know why my eldest daughter, the successor to my own throne, has decided to take up temporary residence on such a place!" Ayeka, who could sense her father was in no mood to discuss pleasantries, merely gave off a weak laughter that was eerily reminiscent of Tenchi's.

"Ah hahahahaha… Well, it's a very long story father, but let's just say that I'm here on a very good cause--diplomacy, perhaps."

"Surely you have learned that Lord Armand and Lady Anya were killed some years ago!" replied His Most Irritated Excellency. "There is nobody of any political importance on that planet! Diplomacy indeed!!"

"Perhaps that is not the term that I have been meaning to say," said Ayeka with that same dopey smile. "What I meant was… ahh… well… you could say that I am participating in… a, uh, _relief_ fund for the people here! Ah hehehehehehehe…" Asuza, in all his royal whatnot, could only sigh and cover his face as his eldest daughter tried to explain away something too puzzling to think about. Why was she acting so peculiar, he had to wonder! Even at her giddiest, Ayeka had never been this silly--heck, not even Sasami had ever been this out of order--so he had to wonder why she was acting the way she was right now.

"Ayeka…… On any normal day, I would be overjoyed to hear you dedicating your time and resources to helping out those less fortunate. But I still feel as if you are not telling me everything. Please, in the name of our royal family, I command you as your father and your emperor to indulge me on the whole truth!!" A pause, albeit a short one, separated their conversations.

"You may not like what you hear," she said in a deadly-serious voice. Asuza grumbled royally.

"Let me be the judge of that. Now, if you please…" Another short pause.

"…All right. Father, do you recall hearing about a demonic creature known as 'Pandemonium'?" Asuza's royal heart, which was pumping pure blue blood at the moment, froze in brief horror at the mention of such a ghastly name. He even stood catatonic for a brief period, so strong was the shock. But the Grand and Glorious Emperor of Jurai, etc. etc., was not one to appear weak for more than one second, and so he composed himself and affirmed her question.

"Yes. I have heard of him." (Of course, considering his rank, how could he not?)

"Well, father, you will be more than happy to know that this Pandemonium creature has been dealt with by the likes of…… Well, let us just say that he has been completely annihilated, and by nothing other than the legendary Light Hawk Wings!!" A gasp, more powerful than the one that had erupted when the name _Pandemonium_ had been mentioned, erupted out of the room as Ayeka dove into her explanation.

"Young lady," hissed Asuza in a shivering voice, "if I found out that you have been lying to His Most Royal Highness…"

"It's the truth, father!" squealed Sasami suddenly, who seemingly butted in just then. Ayeka didn't seem to mind her little sister's interruption, nor did Asuza beneath the surface, but his expression sure did.

"Sasami?"

"Father, Ayeka's telling the truth!" she squealed again. Asuza growled lowly but decided that it would be best to believe in the girls for the time.

"…Hmm… all right, I suppose it's possible. After all, it _has_ been said that the Light Hawk Wings do not appear unless the power of Jurai is concentrated into an area. All right, I'll believe you--_and_ I'll also believe that this Pandemonium monster was destroyed by such a tool. …But Ayeka, are you trying to tell me that _this_ was the purpose of your visit to Tg?"

"Partially, father," she replied. "…I also owed it a favor to a very dear and very close friend of mine, who chooses to remain anonymous for now."

"…I see," grumbled Asuza. "But Ayeka, it does not become a princess of Jurai to go off slaying demons like that! That is why you have Azaka and Kamidake!"

"I know, father--but that is also not the only reason for my continued stay on this world."

"Then, what?" asked a puzzled Emperor. "What else could possibly keep you on such a ruined world??" Another pause. Ayeka gazed at her father with all the nobility she had, and considering her heart, that was a lot.

"The ruin itself is keeping me here," she whispered, with a slight tinge of sadness in her voice. "Father, I cannot leave this planet until the desolation that it has received has been brushed away! _This_ was the entire purpose of my message, father: I am humbly requesting, as your daughter and as your servant, that you send a relief team over to this planet as quickly as possible, wherein we may be able to patch up such a destroyed world and return it to what it once was. _Please_, father, the people here have suffered too much already. It is time to begin healing."

A pause. Asuza sighed, and actually lowered his head slightly as he contemplated Ayeka's request. It had been so long… so very long… since he set foot on that planet… So very, very long…… He still had memories…… Memories… of that once-delectable planet…

"Ayeka…" The Royal Voice of His Most Excellent and Grand Highness was quite low. "……You shall make a wonderful Empress someday…"

"I have also sent help to the Prima Chief of the Prima Worlds," she said, secretly keeping his compliment in her heart. "…And to the President of Megalopolis. They have both agreed to help restore this world, as well as all the other worlds that were ravaged by Pandemonium."

"Chief Joseph and President Nezar? You mean…"

"Yes…" smiled Ayeka. "According to them, it will be 'just like old times'." Asuza actually let a heartwarming smile escape his stoic Imperial face, despite the technicians' stares, and let out a sigh that lightened his troubled heart.

"Joseph… Nezar… Asuza… Armand… The 'Four Winds' all together in the same place, after so many years…" The Emperor quietly shut his eyes, and actually let a single tear fall down his stony face as long-forgotten memories came back to his royal mind. None of the technicians in the room were quite sure how to handle his emotion…… but if they had known him well enough, then they would have understood his joy.

"…Very well," said Asuza quietly after a pause. "I shall make arrangements for our finest medical and architectural teams to be sent out to Tg immediately. Ayeka… I will grant your request… for I, too, do not wish to see that once-glorious planet in such ruin." The princess gave her father a warm, joyful smile, and bowed deeply with respect.

"Thank you, father," she whispered. "I could live a thousand lifetimes and never repay this wonderful debt. I hope to see you shortly."

"As do I. Farewell." And with that, the transmission ended--and just like the Royal and Most Mighty Emperor that he was, Asuza immediately ordered that his fastest vessel be available to him, so that he would be the first to touch down on Tg. After all, it had been too many years since the last time "they" were together……

Ayeka let out a sigh of relief and turned around to personally thank Holtz, who had allowed her to make the transmission to Jurai.

"It is no problem, milady," smiled the old man. "I am glad to serve you in any way I can--and I, too, must admit that I could live forever and never repay such a debt to you, or your father!" The princess smiled shyly and waved his compliment away with her hand.

"Please," she chuckled, "it's the least I could do. Even back in the old days, my heart would not be so hardened as to refuse to assist such a world as yours, and I believe my father would say the exact same thing. Now, if you'll kindly take me back to the main construction area…?"

"Oh, of course!" he exclaimed. Holtz turned around and guided the princess back to where most of her friends were, a place simply known as Ground Zero, where the brunt of Pandemonium's rage seemed to have been concentrated. It was here where Tenchi and the entire crew had stationed themselves in the massive relief effort to reconstruct the ruined world.

After defeating Pandemonium, and subsequently having a brief celebration as _Yagami_ sailed back to Tg, it was unanimously decided that the entire crew should remain on Tg temporarily until a genuine relief squad could be summoned in. Ayeka had volunteered to call her father and ask for his aide--not only because Jurai was one of the great powers of the universe, but because Asuza had personal ties with the ruined planet--but until the medical and construction teams arrived from Jurai and two other major intergalactic powers, the gang had to stay behind and work on the planet by themselves.

The wars that had scarred Tg had most definitely reshaped the world, leaving any survivors without much to hope for, but now that their rulers' daughters had returned from hiding, and now that the source of their woe was gone forever, they finally had a reason to hope. It would probably take at least a century for the entire world to be rebuilt, and maybe longer still for the place to get back to its days of glory, but not even the most destitute citizen seemed to mind. After all, this was their world, and there was always hope.

With that said, every able-bodied citizen was treated to a thorough shower and a change of clothes, and a hot meal and a cold drink was passed to everybody, and there was even a small wage promised to the workers (which would come directly out of what remained of the Stohk family fortune). Once the populace itself was back on their feet, the small gang of strange girls, former bounty hunters, fighters, friends, and cabbits were ready to start reconstructing.

The sounds of massive construction could soon be heard all across the world in the span of a week. Carpenters set about remaking the buildings, architects hired hands to make fresh constructions, people skilled with cleaning were patrolling the streets and washing up any trash left over from the disasters, movers were moving things, destroyers were destroying things, and not a single person was out of a use.

Since he was so used to cleaning up messes and patching up buildings, especially ones affected by a certain princess and former pirate, Tenchi was placed with the main construction group. He had his usual hammer and nails, and other small tools, and was already contributing to the beautiful noise of construction. The two GP officers, Kiyone and Mihoshi, were each doing what they did best: Kiyone was in charge of supervising and assisting the concrete industry, and sweet adorable loveable Mihoshi was put to work as a demolitionist--which was perhaps the only job she genuinely got right.

Washu herself did almost nothing, but the robots she had with her made up for such "laziness". The mechanical creatures ranged from small cleaning robots to the gigantic mechs that hefted objects too heavy to carry by crane. Several also helped reconstruct buildings, as well as clean away any large refuse that had gathered. Sasami was mostly in charge of the kitchens, where she fed the starving people of Tg all the imported food that had been donated by other galactic powers. Most of these edible funds came from Chief Joseph of the Prima Worlds and President Nezar of Megalopolis, perhaps the only two existing powers in the universe that rivaled Jurai's.

The Chief and the President themselves were currently making negotiations with Holtz, who was standing in for Christina and Nanette for the time being (as the twins were busy with other pursuits, mostly their individual love interests). The three wise men were not only overseeing most of the construction, they were also planning for the future--a future that would no doubt include the former pirate and the former bounty hunter, as well as a certain purple-haired princess, and two young men with a strength all of their own.

Nearly everybody else fit into one category of reconstruction or another. Joshua and Mabel Fionn helped lift heavy loads, Delilah and her griffin cleared the rubble, Christina and Nanette helped with carpentry, Ace was in the kitchen, and the cabbits blasted away at anything too big to move. Of course, even with the help of so many, the reconstruction of Tg might have gone on for years to come, had not a certain Juraiian savior come to the rescue the following week.

About seven or eight days into the construction effort, it still seemed as if very little headway was being made. Sure, there was some definite progress, but even with the help of every able-bodied man and woman on the planet, things were running slowly. When the forces of Chief Joseph and President Nezar arrived, things definitely picked up, but what the planet needed was the might of Jurai backing it up, hence Ayeka's call to her father.

In these seven days that had passed, Emperor Asuza had made all effort to dash towards the reviving planet with as much speed as Jurai physics allowed. What little surveillance Tg could now afford was able to detect the Emperor's personal flagship some distance away, and of course Holtz alerted everyone that the Emperor was coming.

No sooner had this news spread, did Ayeka, Sasami, Joseph, Nezar, Holtz, and the entire gang rush to the primitive and hastily-build landing platform. The construction was barely good enough for an Earth shuttle, let alone the mighty flagship of the Emperor of Jurai. However, Asuza's pilots were the best around, and they were able to make do with what Tg had. Everybody, especially Joseph and Nezar, stood outside waiting in anticipation for the mighty one to arrive, and as the ship's platform set down and the announcers proclaimed Asuza's presence on the world, their wait came to a conclusion.

"Father!!" squealed Ayeka. "You made it! And in such a fast time, as well!"

"Good day, Ayeka," said the Emperor with a nod. "…Sasami. It's good to see you too. Ah, is that who I think it is??"

"And just who do you think we are, Asuza?" questioned President Nezar wryly. The three rulers came together for a massive group hug, and kisses were placed on the Emperor's hand as his rank was a step higher than the others'.

"Joseph, Nezar, how long has it really been since we were all in the same place together?" asked Asuza with a smile. The chief and the President both smiled heartily.

"Too long, old friend!" sang Chief Joseph. "Why, I do believe that the last time we were together, Ayeka was just a little baby girl!"

"Then it has been too long," sighed Asuza. He smiled and placed his hands on the shoulders of his friends, but it was bluntly apparent that there was just something missing within the group. One of their numbers was no longer among the living, and this saddened Asuza so much that he actually let out a forlorn sigh.

"It just isn't the same without Armand," he muttered. Just then, perhaps the eldest man of them all stepped forward (at least the oldest-_looking_), took a bow, and kissed the Emperor's hand.

"Your Most Royal Highness!" sang Holtz. "It has indeed been too long! Your presence alone makes my old heart feel lighter!"

"Well, if it isn't old Holtz!" smiled the Emperor. "At least _you're_ still kicking, old man! I didn't think any of the Stohk's original servants were left here!"

"It is true that many of my brethren turned tail and ran once the master and mistress were killed," sighed old Holtz sadly. "But thankfully, I, their most trusted and loyal servant, have remained here faithfully, keeping a tireless vigil for the return of the master's children. And Asuza, I daresay that my patience has paid off!!"

"Just what are you saying?!" questioned the Emperor. "Are you stating that the lost twin daughters of Armand and Anya are not only alive and well, but here in my very presence?!?!"

"They are indeed!!" declared the old man with a happy smile. "In fact, they are even among those who have come out here to welcome you!!" Asuza's dark eyes lit up in wonder and amazement, and His Royal Highness tilted his head so he could get a better view of his audience. At first, he saw nobody familiar, save for his daughters and two GP officers, and Washu, of course.

"Where are they, Holtz?" he asked. The white-haired old man let out a cough before formally introducing the girls.

"Well… Right over there…" Asuza looked in the direction that he was pointing… but… he did not exactly expect to see what the loyal servant indicated towards. What he saw were not exactly two noble young ladies, each well-bred in some far-off academy, nor did he see the prim and proper damsels that usually churned out of the upper crust mold. No, he did not see _anything_ noble at all, for what he saw was…

"_What?!_ The… the Space Pirate Ryoko!!!" Asuza's dark Imperial eyes widened significantly as he caught sight of the "dreaded" former space pirate, and he actually took a royal step backwards. However, what he saw next was equally shocking, if not more so.

"……And… the… the Bounty Hunter Nagi!!!" Both Nagi and Ryoko--or, as everyone else was now calling them, Nanette and Christina--gave each other a puzzled look before placing their confusion directly on Asuza. The Emperor had a somewhat comical expression of shock on his royal face, which truly would have been funny under any other circumstance.

"…Uhhh…"

"Holtz!!" cried poor Asuza. "What are these two _lowlifes_ doing here?!?! And within such close range of my daughters! And tell me WHY they are not BOTH under ARREST, considering the fact that there are now TWO Galaxy Police force officers here!! Do not tell me that **_THESE_** two _infidels_…"

"Hey!!" snarled Christina. "Watch it! We're not some common mongrel that you can heap insults on! We just _happen_ to have noble blood in our veins!!"

"I-I-I-I-_Impossible!!!!_" sputtered poor Asuza. "That is impossible--IMPOSSIBLE!!!! Holtz, DO NOT tell me that **_THESE TWO_** are……"

"Yes, father," sighed Ayeka wearily. "…As… difficult as it is to believe…… They are… in fact… the long-lost twin daughters of your old comrade, Nobleman Armand Stohk of Tg. They are… ahhh… the, uh, inheritors of their, uh… parent's legacy…"

"_Impossible_!!" blurted Asuza weakly. "Absolutely… utterly… indubitably… literally… completely… and UNQUESTIONABLY **impossible!!!!!!**"

"We can prove it," hissed Nanette in a low voice. The beads of sweat marring Emperor Asuza's face grew to the size of gold balls.

"You flea-infested mongrel of an uncouth and questionable bounty hunter! How dare you have the nerve to speak to me like that!!!"

"Emperor Asuza, they are telling the truth!!" hissed President Nezar as he yanked on the royal one's majestic robe. "I myself doubted their claims until Lady Washu laid the proof down for me to see with my own eyes! Master Holtz and Chief Joseph have affirmed it as well!" Poor Asuza, who was comically close to bawling, almost moaned out with sheer disbelief at the maniacal presentation he had suffered himself under. Having been told that one of the most despicable space pirates in the galaxy, and one of the most uncouth bounty hunters in the galaxy, were in fact _both_ the offspring of two well-loved and well-respected friends…… was a little more than he could take.

"It's true," said a squeaky voice below him, and poor Asuza forced his hands to uncover his disbelieving face to see who had spoken. It was the brilliant but deranged genius Washu, and she was holding a clipboard with some papers in it.

"This is the proof," she told him. "It's all here, every last bit of it. I didn't spare a single detail, and I swear on Tsunami's name that it's all accurate." Asuza let out a royal sigh, and took the board from the genius' hands. Slowly, the weary ruler shuffled over to where "Ryoko" and "Nagi" were, and used both of his royal eyes to stare deeply into their faces. Asuza had never actually met either of the women before, and although he had seen their faces on hundreds of wanted posters, he had never really given them a good look.

However, as his old eyes bore into the faces of the former outlaw and former bounty hunter, a very, very old feeling swelled up inside of him. The harder he squinted and studied their faces, the more and more they began to _resemble_ something… It was something very familiar, yet very distant, but if Asuza looked at them in just the right way……

Suddenly, the Great and Glorious Golden Emperor of the Mighty Empire of Jurai let out a gasp.

"It……… it really is true… isn't it?" he whispered. Ryoko and Nagi, or whatever they were being called at the moment, both gave each other another puzzled look. "It IS true!" hissed the Emperor again, and the poor man almost let out a smile. "You…… Oh, by Tsunami, you really do resemble 'them'…! You… Ryoko… you look like Anya… And you, Nagi, you look like your father, just a bit. Oh, I…" The Emperor suddenly felt dizzy, and as his head began to swim and wash over with blurriness, Holtz quickly rushed a chair over to that His Most Elegant Highness would not fall on the ground. He was very near the point of fainting, but given the situation, it was quite understandable.

"…I… think I may need some time alone," he whispered, and slowly, one by one, everyone left Emperor Asuza to brood by himself. He _definitely_ needed some time to think.

Alone in a secluded room, the Great Emperor of Jurai sat, brooded, pondered, and thought, mostly about what had occurred in the past five or so minutes. He, as a man of sound mind and judgment, could be led to believe that the great plague known as Pandemonium could be defeated, and he could believe that the Light Hawk Wings were a key factor in the battle. He could believe that Ayeka and Sasami were staying on Tg to help rebuild it, and he could believe that they had summoned their friends to help in the task. He could even believe that his two old friends, Joseph and Nezar, were in on the deal as well.

But… sometimes even a holy man could have doubts, and this most certainly applied to Asuza. As an Emperor, he also had the right to doubt, and what better thing to doubt than the validity of the claims stated by Holtz? Sure, he trusted the old man very much, and would believe him like a brother, but to be convinced that the infamous Ryoko and the equally-infamous Nagi were really the long-lost twin daughters of the Nobleman of Tg…! There were limits to Asuza's beliefs, and they had been reached that very day.

Perhaps, given time, he would pore over Washu's discoveries and would slowly realize that yes indeed, Nagi and Ryoko really and truly were who they claimed to be, and that they had returned to Tg at long last to guide it out of its most desperate and darkest hour. Believing they were sisters was one thing; believing they were _nobles_ was something completely different. Whatever the case was, Asuza still needed time to think, but perhaps not by himself.

As if to grant some unsaid wish, Tenchi (of all people) came to Asuza's room with a tray of Holtz's finest tea in his hands, and he politely asked if he could come in. Asuza numbly allowed the boy inside, wherein Tenchi offered the stumped Emperor a cup. Asuza took one to calm his nerves, and bade Tenchi to sit.

"Are you one of the few remaining servants left here, boy?" he asked.

"No, sire, I'm actually from Earth."

"Ah. Was that not the place that Ayeka chose to spend her holiday?" Tenchi carefully thought over his answer before speaking. _Well, if by "holiday" you mean that she was stranded there against her will, and had to put up with chores and Ryoko and Nagi and a hundred other things…_

"Yes," he said truthfully. Asuza grumbled slightly.

"Then I assume that she has made acquaintance with you through some means." Tenchi almost smirked at the last two words. _Some means…… riiiiiiiiight!!!_

"Yes," he said honestly. Asuza finished a fourth of his tea in a single gulp.

"Holtz's tea has not changed much," he muttered, most likely to himself. Tenchi wanted to agree, but felt it was not yet his place to say such a thing. He had hung around royalty long enough to know not to speak unless spoken to… or else in some great circumstance.

"You know, boy…" sighed the Emperor, "I have always wanted the powers of Jurai and Tg to merge into one. I was hoping that either Armand or myself would have a son or a daughter so the two could marry and permanently seal such an alliance. When I heard that my friends bore twin girls, I was desperately hoping for a son to raise. However, with the birth of Ayeka, and then Sasami, I suppose my chances of an alliance were not looking too well. Unless I had the gall to bend Jurai's rules to an unheard-of level, I didn't think there'd ever be a real merger of the two powers. And now, with the two of them gone for good, it doesn't look like I ever will."

Tenchi remained silent.

"…If only Yosho had had children…" he sighed. This time, Tenchi's interest was caught.

"Yosho?" Asuza took a drink of tea before elaborating.

"My most trusted Admiral and Jurai's champion warrior. He was younger than I, but I've always felt that if I never had a son myself, then he could possibly take over the throne, or else have a child of his own for my Ayeka to marry--and who knows, maybe two? Maybe two…… one for Ayeka, and one for that nutty space pirate…" Asuza let out another sigh and finished his tea, which Tenchi refilled upon request.

"Well," he said (and the boy had to choose his words very carefully), "you may not believe this, but it seems as if _I_ am the grandson of Yosho."

"You what?!" blurted the Emperor. Tenchi nodded his head.

"Yeah--I mean, yes, sire. You see, Yosho is actually my grandfather, my mother's father, and I'm his grandson." The Emperor gave Tenchi an understandably doubtful look, snorted, and drank more of his tea.

"You should not bear false witness against one such as I," he warned. "I will let it slip this one time, but another offense and I could have you killed."

"No, sire, I'm very serious!" insisted the young man. "Here, you can test me!" And without a word from the Emperor, Tenchi stood up and brought out the powerful sword that had been entrusted to him by his grandfather. Asuza's eyes widened to the size of china plates as he recognized the tool.

"You… how did you get that sword?! That is Tenchi, Yosho's own weapon!! How…" Before Asuza could stutter out another word, however, the brilliant blade of Tenchi-Sword ignited, filling the room with a bluish radiance. Asuza's surprised look multiplied several fold as he witnessed this seemingly-common young man ignite one of the most powerful weapons known. Despite his doubts, Asuza knew too well that only the power of Jurai could activate that blade…

And coincidentally, Yosho had such a power within him.

Before Asuza could say anything, however, old man Holtz came in to check up on the liege, but upon seeing the ignited laser sword in Tenchi's hands, he assumed the worst and screeched out in horror.

"Oh, oh! Master Tenchi! What are you doing???" Tenchi's concentration broke as he turned his head towards Holtz, and smiled faintly as he retracted the illuminating blade of Tenchi-Sword.

"Don't worry, Holtz," he assured him, "I'm just demonstrating something to His Highness."

"But only they with the power of Jurai can activate such a tool!" hissed Holtz fearfully. "How is it that you have…"

"He is the grandson of Yosho, Holtz," said Asuza quietly. The Emperor's gaze lowered to the floor for awhile, then back up to Tenchi's, then Holtz's. "…He _can_ activate that weapon."

"……I see," whispered the old man. "So, the only thing that Master Tenchi was doing was proving the validity of his claims? Well, yes, then I suppose I have just now worried over nothing…" The loveable old servant smiled and blushed faintly, and apologized for his behavior, and of course he was forgiven. Suddenly, the twinkle of youth and mischief glinted in the bluish eyes of the old man, and with a faint smile, he rubbed his wrinkled chin in thought.

"Hmmm… Your Highness, please forgive me for saying so, but I have just thought up of an idea!"

"Indulge us, Holtz!" commanded he. "What is it that which you wish to share with us?"

"Well…" Holtz, who was the kind of man who was both a mischievous child and old-fashioned romantic at heart, paused briefly to make sure he had his words right. "…Well… Is it true that His Highness has desired an alliance with Tg for some time?"

"Yes…"

"And is it also true that there are no male heirs in either family?" A pause.

"…Not any in the immediate family," mentioned Asuza. "…Although… Jurai law states that, in certain emergencies, the Emperor's most trusted and most loyal champion may in fact assume the throne if there are no male heirs. This has happened before in the past, so I don't see why we………" He paused for a moment and grew just a little more serious.

"But… well… Yosho has been missing for some time--the _real_ Yosho, I mean. I'm not talking about that imposter Kagato."

"I understand," replied Holtz. "…Then, as Emperor of Jurai, have you acknowledged that this young man is indeed the grandson of _the_ one-and-only Yosho?" A pause. Asuza quietly nodded his head.

"Nobody else could have activated Tenchi," he said. Holtz smiled thinly.

"Then, my dear Emperor, would it not be most suitable for you to… and forgive me for stepping out of such boundaries, but…… would it not be suitable of you to arrange a marriage between the grandson of Yosho and the daughter of your dear friend, Armand Stokh??" Tenchi, poor dear sweet loveable Tenchi, darn near suffered cardiac arrest as he heard old Holtz conspiring with the Emperor of Jurai--and over the affairs of marriage, no less! He was suggesting that Tenchi should marry Ryoko!!!

Yet, for all the shock in Tenchi's system, it couldn't match that of Asuza's.

"Just what are you saying?!?!" blurted the Emperor. "I have little quarrel with this young man, and his own affairs of matrimony are hardly my business, yet you are saying that _the_ grandson of Yosho should marry the infamous space pirate Ryoko?!?! Absurd, Holtz, simply absurd!!!" Poor Holtz frowned in thought, and took a few seconds to polish his spectacles before continuing.

"Lady Christina is no longer the space pirate we all knew and feared. She has transformed into a dignified and warmhearted young woman--reasonably enough--and I myself shall vouch for her!"

"This is absurd…!" hissed Asuza, grabbing his aching royal head with his shivering royal hands. "The grandson of Yosho marrying the space pirate Ryoko…"

"Lady _Christina_ Stohk, Milord," corrected Holtz. "Her name, Emperor, is Lady Christina Stohk, and though I have very few requests to make of you, I do suggest that you address her in her proper manner from this moment forward, and that includes her sister Lady Nanette as well." Asuza's royal face scowled at Holtz's sudden cheek, yet the white-haired gentleman stared right back with just as much stubbornness and pride. Asuza, who had known Holtz for many years, finally let out a sigh and acquiesced to his demands.

"Very well," he muttered. "I may not like it, but… I cannot hide my eyes from the truth. All right, I suppose an arranged marriage is in question…"

"Hey! Just hold on a second!" blurted Tenchi--but as always, the poor young man went unheard. Before said young man could continue in his protest, Asuza gained an idea as well, and shared it with his old friend.

"I have an idea!" he spat. "I know of a way--a rather unorthodox way--that I can allow the merger between Jurai and Tg to continue! Yes! YES!! Holtz! Do you recall the events that surrounded my own marriage??"

"With nauseating ease," chuckled the old man. "Yes, yes, you had been betrothed to Misaki, yet fell in love with Funaho… So the higher brass at the time, God forbid there be anyone higher-up than Your Highness, concluded that it may be best for you to have, erm, two wives…"

"Then the very same principle should apply to this situation as well!" exclaimed the Emperor. Now, poor dear sweet etc. etc. Tenchi was beyond shock; he was appalled. It was absolute insanity, what with the way Holtz and Asuza conspired, especially considering the fact that he was never, not even once, allowed to input his own opinion!!

"…Are you suggesting…"

"I am indeed," answered Asuza. "It is a somewhat uncommon practice, but in this case, I may very well make an exception! Yes, yes… It's altogether possible for my Ayeka to marry Yosho's grandson, and to be his co-wife alongside space pirate--I, uh… I mean… uh… Lady Christina." (Holtz had smiled when Asuza corrected himself.) "Yes, yes, it could very well work! My Ayeka would form an alliance with the descendant of my greatest warrior, wherein he will _also_ be wed to the child of my two friends, Lady Christina! …Unless, of course, he should take vows up with Lady Nanette…"

"No, I think Master Tenchi would prefer marital consummation with Mistress Christina," chuckled Holtz mischievously. "It would seem…… _best_ that way. Besides, Lady Nanette already has a love interest, and I am not so cruel as to persuade her against it. Then, shall we be agreed?"

"Yes," said Asuza as he stuck his hand out to shake Holtz's. "We shall arrange the marriage of Ayeka and Lady Christina to this…… erm… fine young gentleman, Yosho's grandson. 'Tenchi', did you say his name was?"

"That's right," nodded Holtz. The two marital conspirators smiled and shook their hands, leaving poor Tenchi about ready to burst in protest.

"Now hold on a second!!!" he shouted. "Don't **_I_** get a say in this??!!" Asuza grunted and gave Tenchi a glare that just screamed, "_You should be more grateful, boy!_", but Holtz'a gentle smile and soft words were a little more pleasant.

"Oh, young master," he sighed, "would you really be so insensitive as to refuse marriage with those two young ladies, especially considering how close the three of you are?" A pause.

"Well, I, uhh…"

"Lord Tenchi, do you love Lady Ayeka?" Tenchi sighed, but the smile on Holtz's face told him to speak the truth.

"Yes," he said gently, "I do."

"And do you love Mistress Christina?"

"With all my heart."

"And do you feel as if they would get along together?" A pause.

"Honestly, I don't think they can get along _without_ each other!" The merry twinkle in Holtz's eye returned with a vengeance.

"Then, I do not see any problems."

Next chapter: Oh, that Holtz… He has no idea what he's saying, does he? Well, I suppose this scenario was very predictable, but would anybody have it any other way (diehard T/R or T/A shippers don't count)?? The inevitable has happened--and in a very reasonable and understandable way--and Tenchi's gonna find himself right in the middle of one of the biggest weddings in history, poor guy! It's love, laughs, and just a teeny tiny bit of good-natured disasters in the next chapter, "No Need for Matrimony!" It's unquestionably romantic!


	16. No Need for Matrimony!

XVI: No Need for Matrimony!

The sound of beautiful wedding music being played outside did little to sooth poor Tenchi's nerves. He had been on a high speed roller-coaster ride for the past month, and although deep down he was really and truly looking forward to this event, every other nerve in his body told him that it was not all going to be wine and roses.

Holtz and Emperor Asuza had conspired to arrange a marriage between Tenchi and Ayeka in order to strengthen the Jurai royal power (since the young man _was_ Yosho's grandson), and they had also used one of the rare Jurai statutes to arrange a marriage between Tenchi and Ryoko. Asuza initially hated the idea of any Juraian marrying an infamous space pirate, but after hearing Holtz and his daughter out, and after spending a little time with the wild woman, he eventually came to the conclusion that having Ryoko in the "family" would be an honor.

And so, for the strength of Jurai and Tg, and for a solid alliance that would most definitely yield good fruit in the future, Asuza arranged the marriage of Tenchi to both Ayeka and Ryoko--a practice rare but not unheard of in Jurai (he himself had went through something similar for his own nuptials). Most everybody liked the union, but poor Tenchi was dragged along without ever having the right to express his feelings.

Holtz, however, was not so unkind as to not set aside a brief heart-to-heart with the young man. The warm old servant paid Tenchi audience as the young man vented out everything on his mind, from uncertainty to his doubts as a husband-to-be, _plus_ the fact that he had always had monogamy in mind for his own marriage. It was obviously true that he loved both Ayeka and Ryoko very much, and in fact would have been happy wedding either one of them. However, this new arrangement……

Well, Tenchi was given a few days to really let things sink in, and when he finally made his decision, it was one that neither woman protested against. They both eagerly accepted his proposal (not that they really had a choice), and in the end, everybody was happy with the way things were turning out, which was rare in arranged marriages.

But now, with his horde of attendants and buddies crowding around him, Tenchi couldn't help but sigh. His father, who would act as best man, tried his best to give his son some last-second advice, but most of it just went right through Tenchi's mind. Diamond "Ace" Spadehart, who was engaged to a nice young woman himself, gave considerably better pointers.

"You may find yourself in more trouble than necessary," he remarked. "I realize that both Princess Ayeka and Lady Christina are madly in love with you, and that they both love each other as well, but sooner or later, they may regress back into the stage where they vie for your attention. Tenchi, I don't know you that well, so I'm only guessing when I say that you may end up loving one of them more than the other."

"I hope that doesn't happen," answered the young man. Ace nodded his head and made sure his tux was straight for the ninth time.

"Nor do I, friend," he said. "But the fact remains that they will see you as loving one of them more. A man cannot have two masters, you know."

"I can't help but wonder how his highness managed," muttered Katsuhito. "Misaki and Funaho were about as close to each other as Ayeka and Ryoko are now, and even they had hard times in their marriage."

"Who _doesn't?!_" stated Joshua as he straightened his collar. "Lord Katsuhito, if you can show me a perfect marriage, then I'll renounce my faith! That's just not a possible thing!"

"Yes, I know," replied the elderly Shinto priest. He gazed at his young grandson, the poor guy, and cleared his throat to divulge his own grandfatherly advice. "Tenchi," he began, "as a man who is older and more experienced than you, perhaps you should listen to my advice more. I was married to your grandmother for quite some time before she passed on, so what I say will definitely help…"

If Tenchi was on his last nerve, then Ayeka and Christina had already exhausted them all. It was true that they had glowed with love when he proposed suddenly, and blushed profusely when they heard that Holtz and Emperor Asuza had set the whole thing up, and it was true that they had been looking forward to this day for quite some time, but now that the hour was closing in on them, even their giddiness was fading.

Sasami and Nanette busied over their individual sisters, one of them taking a little more care of her sibling due to the fact that she was maid of honor. Nanette continued to whisper her pride and joy to her sister and future sister-in-law, and dressed them and styled them as best she possibly could. The remaining army of girls (which consisted of Kiyone, Washu, Mihoshi, Mabel, and Delilah--whew!) were either busying themselves with their own gowns, or else already outside chatting up a storm.

"You gonna be okay?" asked Nanette to her sister. Christina let out a weary sigh.

"Jeez, I dunno. My stomach feels like it's tumbling in circles. I feel like I'm gonna throw up any second now."

"That's perfectly normal," smiled the former bounty hunter. "Wedding anxieties happen to the best of us. I guess that just gives Josh and I something to look forward to."

"When _did_ the two of you decide to set a date?" asked Ayeka. Nanette shrugged.

"We really didn't, but we were thinking of aiming for three months down the road. I at least want all this to calm down first." Ayeka nodded her head, but not so much that it would disturb Sasami's art. It was indeed a hectic and confusing time for them all, and while nobody could say who was going through the most turmoil, it was going to be one strange trip for quite awhile.

And yet, nobody would have had it any other way.

Wedding arrangements were just slightly confusing. Almost all of the upper crust of Jurai were in attendance, including Asuza (who would give Ayeka away) and his two wives, and several other people of high importance as well. Important heads of state from across the galaxies were also there, such as the Prima Chief of the Twelve Prima Worlds, the President of Megalopolis, the Directors and Barons of Olto, etc. etc. Nearly every citizen of Tg was there too (since the wedding would be taking place in one of the few unadulterated pieces of property), with Holtz as the man who had the honor of giving Lady Christina away (since her original father had long since been dead). Azaka and Kamidake were among the royal guards, as well as Kiyone and Mihoshi, and a horde of other miscellaneous friends were there as well.

It took the worst part of an hour for the whole gang to assemble in that large outdoor courtyard, but the scenery was so breathtaking that none of it mattered. This outdoor courtyard was but one of the few places that had been completely spared the wrath of Pandemonium: the air was lush and delicious, with a sky more bright and innocent than a smile. Rows upon rows of flower beds were in the background, reeking of a thousand beautiful odors, and from above, cherry blossom leaves were falling like pink flakes of snow. A hundred doves cooed and chirped in the trees above, and the gorgeous dresses and gowns worn by participants and attendants made the fantastic scene seem more of a dream than reality.

A dozen orchestra members played tunes so beautiful and melodic that even the toughest people out there grew misty. Old friends and long-lost comrades reunited, and the promise of a wedding feast like none other loomed in the future as every guest made their way outside. Every sort of person, from the highest members of nobility to the poorest street beggar assembled in the courtyard, and there were even those kinds of people who were twice as questionable as Ryoko had once been, such as rogues and bounty hunters and thieves and swindlers and gamblers and Oh, it was chaos!

"Holy moley!" muttered Nobuyuki as he caught sight of the number of guests who had made it there. "That's a lot of people!!! Boy, Tenchi, I'm starting to understand why you're feeling a bit nervous!"

"I don't think all the participants out there are even _human_," muttered Ace. "I'm almost certain that I saw some species foreign to _homo sapiens_. Sir Tenchi, I wish you luck!"

"Oh," muttered the young boy nervously, "thanks…"

"No time for that now, Tench," said Joshua. "You and I both have to go out there and face them. At least you won't have to do all that talking, but think how _I_ feel, as a priest!" Tenchi gave the one-eyed man a weak smile, and tried not to put himself in his shoes. He was jittery enough as it was.

Just when Tenchi and his brides-to-be found themselves growing comfortable, the band struck up a delicate tune that signified the beginning of the ceremony. A nervous wad the size of his house was swallowed down Tenchi's throat, and every bodily organ he owned throbbed with anticipation. Of course, he could not back out of this now, and with a single bold foot, he stepped forward, with Washu's elbow linked up with his own. A procession of distinguished gentlemen followed him, his father and grandfather first, then followed by Ace, Azaka, Kamidake, Ken-ohki as ring bearer, and Joshua last, who would playact as priest.

The ladies in the audience smiled warmly at how lovely some of the gentlemen looked, though most of them knew that half their number were already taken. Joshua took his position behind the glass podium and smiled plainly at the huge crowd before him. The only other people up there with him were Tenchi and Nobuyuki, and they both seemed reasonably amicable for such an occasion.

A different tune was struck for the brides' entrance, and as per custom, everyone turned and stood to greet the two ladies. On one side was Asuza guiding his eldest daughter down the aisle, with her maids, Sasami, and Kiyone and Mihoshi following, with Ryo-ohki as flower girl. Tenchi's worries instantly faded as he saw his bride-to-be smiling back at him, walking gracefully down the velvet aisle with a gorgeous pale-violet dress on. In her hands were a bouquet of flowers that looked to be similar to lilies. On the other side was old Holtz, beaming proudly as he guided Christina Ryoko Stohk and her sister/bridesmaid down the aisle. The former space pirate was smiling warmly in her pale-turquoise dress, a bouquet of locus flowers clasped firmly in her hands.

_Well, too late to turn back now,_ thought Tenchi to himself, though the looks on his brides' faces told him that he would never reconsider his decision, nor would he regret doing such an act. The two ladies made their way to the dais where their love awaited them, and though there was a bit of uncertainty still brewing in their bodies, the love and warmth of the wedding day overshadowed these nasty feelings.

From this point on, most of the troubles of the wedding would have to fall on Joshua Fionn's capable shoulders. With only a few years of priesthood under his belt, he took a deep breath and dug deep for the words to say. Starting out with a greeting seemed the best way to get things rolling.

"Ladies, gentlemen, distinguished colleagues, heads of state, nobles, allies, Your Highness, Your Eminence, revere and dear, friends, loved ones, and well-wishers…… welcome. Welcome, all of you, to what will possibly be one of the greatest and most wonderful celebrations of matrimonial union that you may ever experience. I don't doubt that this will be a day long remembered, so welcome one and all, welcome, and may prosperity find its way to your door for your gracious attendance.

"…We are all gathered here today to witness the joyful union of these three people you see before you: Tenchi Masaki, and his two wives-to-be, Princess Ayeka Jurai and Lady Christina Ryoko Stohk. I realize that some of you may disprove of this marriage simply because of its polygamy, but I assure you one and all that, if you knew the true history behind these three, and the love they shared, you would support it as much as I do. But for those of you who do not know, let me divulge you so that you will believe as I have.

"This young woman, Princess Ayeka of Jurai, was once a selfish princess who thought only of herself and little of anything else. She had a heart of cold steel and a tongue of sharpest razor, yet time and love have dulled these characteristics down to something more pure, more passionate, and more genuine. Ayeka is now a _true_ woman, with a heart of purest gold and an unshakable bond of love and devotion--not only to this young man you see here, but to Lady Christina, who was once her greatest enemy, yet now is her closest friend. Personally, I don't think a better woman could be found anywhere else in the universe.

"…Unless, of course, you look to Lady Christina here. Once, this woman was a scourge and a pirate, spreading terror and viciousness across the galaxy. Yet her love of this young man has calmed these barbaric urges, and through patience and love and dedication, she has not only made a lifelong friend of Ayeka, but has also discovered the bond she shares with her sister, a one-time enemy of hers. Truly, there are great powers at work here, for who else but the loving Creator of all worlds could bring former enemies together and bond them together so closely?" Joshua paused to catch his breath and swallowed some water, and winked at Nanette when nobody was looking. She smiled back at him and returned the small flirt.

"…Now that you know their background," continued the former monk, "you may believe what I have, and that these three should be together forever. Indeed, the very scriptures themselves applaud marriage, for it is said that '"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.' These verses are old, yet they ring true even now, perhaps hundreds of thousands of years later.

"Indeed, one of the most incredible passages of scripture deals with love, so much so that this entire ceremony is focused on that very passage. Allow me to elaborate with one of my favorite passages.

"'If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but I have not love, then I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.'" Joshua paused briefly, a lump forming in his throat and a tear coming to his good eye, and he swallowed them both down before continuing. Obviously, this next passage was extremely touching to him.

"…'Love is patient, love is kind'," he began. "'It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.'" He smiled warmly, obviously touched by his words, and not even Asuza could claim stoicism from the short speech. Ayeka and Christina were so happy and moved that they actually shed tears in wake of the passage, and Tenchi almost did the same.

"Well," croaked Joshua weakly, "enough out of me. I say that we don't keep these lovers waiting anymore. Tenchi, ladies, I believe you have wedding vows to exchange." Joshua smiled down at the young man and the ladies, and they all nodded their heads. Small notes were taken out of Tenchi's pockets and handed to the girls, and the three exchanged what they had written and promised to each other.

__

I, Tenchi Masaki, promise to love you, Ayeka, and you, Christina, with equal respect and passion until my dying day.

I will be patient, I will be kind. I will not envy, I will not boast, I will not be proud. I will not be rude, I will not be self-seeking, I will not be easily angered, I will keep no record of wrongs. I will not delight in evil but will rejoice in the truth. I will always protect you, always trust you, always hope for you, and will always persevere.

In this, I do forever pledge, upon pain of death.

I, Princess Ayeka, heir of Jurai and its royal family,

And I, Ryoko, devoted friend and trusted companion,

Do solemnly swear an oath of never-ending love, loyalty, and honor

To you, Lord Tenchi Masaki, grandson of Admiral Yosho.

In times bleak and joyful, cold and warm, strict and free, prosperous and poor,

We hereby give our hearts, souls, and minds to this holy pact of matrimony.

You have this, the blood from our own hands, as permanent proof of

Our everlasting oath, and with it, our blood is added to yours as

Rightful rulers to stand alongside you in love and monarchy.

We shall always love you forever more, as we have always loved you in the past.

"(You rock, sis!)" hissed Nanette. Christina grinned and blushed. This was definitely the happiest day of her life, and as Tenchi gently slipped wedding rings over both their fingers, things could definitely not get any better.

"Well, everything seems official so far," remarked Joshua. "But is there anybody present who does not wish to see this couple joined together as one? Speak now, or forever hold your peace."

"Everybody'd better be quiet!!" shouted Nanette suddenly. Her outburst was slightly embarrassing at first, but was quickly received with scattered laughter. Suddenly, Emperor Asuza stood up, earning a roll of the eye from Ayeka.

"Yes, I have something to say," he spoke.

"Oh, father, not now!" moaned Ayeka. Asuza quietly hushed her and stepped forward, making his presence known. A cough cleared his throat, and a pause made sure that all eyes were focused on the Emperor of Jurai. He had the scene all to himself.

"You all know me," he began slowly. "You all know who I am, and what my creed is. You know what my feelings are concerning the alliance of Jurai, and you know how close my heart is to Tg. At first, when I heard that the space pirate Ryoko was also one of the long-lost daughters of my friend Armand Stohk, I could scarcely believe it--yet, over the days that passed, I got to know her from listening to Ayeka and other people who were close to her. Let me just say that my impression of her has… changed, for the better." With that, he turned and smiled at Christina, and bowed his head just a little.

"I would be honored to have you in the family," he said--and to everyone's surprise, Asuza stepped forth and actually _hugged_ the one-time space pirate. Christina, having never embraced an Emperor before, was obviously at a lack for words, so she tried her best to return the unexpected gesture. When Asuza released his soon-to-be co-daughter-in-law, he was smiling proudly, another trait he rarely expressed.

"Young man," he said to Joshua, "you had better continue this wedding or else!"

"…Yes, sire," replied Joshua happily. Smiling brightly, the young man spread his arms out and declared them husband and wife… and wife. "And now, to seal the pact… Tenchi, you may now kiss the brides!" Young Tenchi smiled briefly, but the happiness faded as soon as he realized what Joshua had said. Kissing one bride would be no problem, but… there were _two_ of them there… and he… well… didn't know which one to… kiss first.

"……Uhhh…" he comically darted his head from Ayeka to Christina and back to the princess again, and scattered laughter came out of the audience as the poor man became more and more confused. Asuza groaned and covered his face in shame before shouting out to his future son-in-law.

"Excuse me, young man, but Juraian etiquette clearly states that in situations such as this, royalty should be addressed first, or if not, the highest-ranking one." He nodded at Tenchi, whose eyes had slowly shifted to an expectant Ayeka. A nude from behind told him that it was okay to go for the Princess first.

"Go ahead, babe," whispered Christina playfully. "Ayeka needs to be first anyway. I can wait a little while." She grinned and winked at the two closest to her. Tenchi smiled that same loveable weak smile of his, shrugged, and leaned forward to lock lips with Ayeka.

"I love you," they said simultaneously, and Christina couldn't help but squeal as the marriage between them was complete. When the kiss broke, both their faces were flushed and beaming and very much enraptured.

"Hey, what about me?" she pouted. Tenchi laughed out loud and turned towards the other woman that had stolen his heart.

"How could I ever forget about you, Ryoko?" he asked. Christina actually blushed when he used her old name, but her face turned redder still as his mouth met hers.

"I will always love you," he whispered faintly, and drew back to stare into her golden eyes. "…Always."

"…Yeah… I know…" Both girls smiled and gave him a kiss on both his cheeks, then stared at each other mysteriously, almost as if there was one last thing they should be doing. With a careless shrug, Christina laughed out a "Eh, why not?", and leaned forward to give Ayeka a brief but strong peck on the lips. She grinned and cackled out loud once the little kiss ended (thus causing quite a minor stir amongst the crowd), and put her arms around both Tenchi's and Ayeka's shoulders.

"You are one screwy woman, sis!" chuckled Nanette. Christina winked at her beloved sibling, and leaped up on Tenchi to ride piggyback style. Ever the romantic, the young groom carried Ayeka in his arms with Christina riding on him, and together the three of them made their way past a tumultuously roaring crowd.

Beholding a cake as tall as he was, Tenchi grasped the knife firmly and plunged the cutter deep into the pastry. The thing looked delicious, and would probably lead to many sweet stomach aches in the near future. However, as the delicious wedding cake was sliced, the whole thing suddenly blew up in a sugary explosion, spewing pastry and frosting everywhere. The explosion came so suddenly that poor Tenchi (who had received the brunt of the cake's wrath) was still frozen in that same position, comically holding a knife with crumbs dripping off of it. Inevitably, all eyes turned towards Washu and glared at the mad genius, who was suspiciously free of dessert.

"Washu…!" The loveable genius chuckled weakly, scratching her neck in a useless effort to look innocent. The act failed completely, and soon, dozens of cake-drenched wedding guests were approaching her, a vile intent in their wicked eyes.

"W-wait a second!" she sputtered. "Guys? W-what are you gonna do with all that food??" Ayeka grinned maliciously, and nodded at her co-wife, signaling their desired plan of retribution. Only two words needed to be said from her for the chaos to begin.

"FOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!"

Next chapter: Am I really so ambitious as to continue after _that_? What sort of things could I possibly have in store for our protagonists? ……And would still constitute as G-rated material? Well, I'll admit that it's not much, but I _still_ have a few tricks up my sleeve! The story keeps on going, next chapter: "No Need for a Family!" It's unquestionably more than I should have written!


	17. No Need for a Family!

XVII: No Need for a Family!

Tenchi woke up to the dawn of yet another crystal-clear day, part of his body being gently held by the princess he so wonderfully adored, the other being snuggled by the gentle and warm-hearted woman who was both noble and wild. Penned as quite possibly the luckiest man in all the universe, Tenchi's eyes opened to the bright morning sun and the two beauties sleeping near him, Princess Ayeka and Noblewoman Ryoko--or, as only a few people really called her, the Lady Christina.

The young man smiled at them, and tried not to disturb their rest as he stretched out his limbs. Knuckles and joints were cracked, and several quiet yawns came out of his mouth, but only a shower would really jolt his senses. The violent lovemaking sessions he had underwent the previous night had taken a lot out of him--out of _all_ of them--so not only was the rest necessary, but the shower as well.

The young man nimbly snuck out of bed and performed morning rituals without so much as disturbing his wives. Since the time he had been married to them, Tenchi had gotten quite skilled at stealth maneuvers. It wasn't like he had anything to hide; he just didn't want to disturb his sweet angels. Besides, having two wives meant that he needed all the more time to himself, every so often.

Ayeka and Ryoko (as everyone was calling her again) woke up not to the sounds of their beloved sneaking around, but to the delicious smells of breakfast that he had insisted on making. Their servants had already been up for three hours, and were already shuffling around the large estate, but the morning meal was Tenchi's to dominate. Both girls caught scent of the meal, and rose almost simultaneously with hunger rumbling in their bellies. Two yawns and they greeted each other.

"…Morning, Ryoko," managed Ayeka. "Hm, looks like our dear Tenchi's gone and done something rather nice for us, eh?"

"Yeah…" smiled Ryoko dreamily. The loveable woman yawned and pulled Ayeka back down on the mattress, and snuggled up to her friend without a care in the world. Ayeka giggled lightly at her friend's weary state, and had it not been for breakfast, she would not have wanted to move from that spot for anything.

"Ryoko, dear, we should really get up," she said gently. Ryoko mumbled something and clung onto Ayeka all the tighter; the princess began rubbing her friend's shoulders. "Come come, now," she said. "Tenchi made that breakfast all for us, and--"

"Oh, you're already up!" exclaimed a voice from the doorway. Ayeka noticed that it belonged to Tenchi, who was carrying a large tray full of food. Ayeka smiled and greeted her lord and lover, and received a gentle pinch from Ryoko.

"Breakfast in bed, dummy," muttered the one-time pirate. "What'dya think he was gonna do? Make us ladies walk all the way to the kitchen?" A pause.

"Well…"

"You're so cute," said Ryoko with a half-awake smile. Ayeka managed to crack a smile and rubbed her knuckles on the scalp of her closest friend. Tenchi then proceeded to serve breakfast in bed to the two women closest to his heart.

Two years had passed since Tenchi's wedding, and the passage of time had served everyone excellently. The home world of Ryoko and Nagi had been recovering excellently, and it could even be said that the golden capitol would shine once again. Indeed, the whole planet had a brand-new look to it, with the skies a merry blue again and the streets filled with happy and prosperous people. Nature had also made a comeback, either littering the world with fresh flora, or populating it with exotic species of fauna. Everything was becoming better and better by the day: reconstruction was almost finished, the economy was almost back on track, and every living soul either had a new job, a better job, or just a better way of life.

For their honeymoon, the trio of Tenchi and his two wives had been invited to several dozen places, none of which seemed resistible. Delilah Spadehart, Nagi's first partner in the bounty hunter business, had recommended the three visit her home planet, where the great Festival of Lights would soon take place. Never was a decision regretted less, as the three of them had the time of their lives and still managed to squeeze in a bit of romance.

The honeymoon lasted two weeks, and then it was back to business. Once Tenchi finished his duties on Earth, he bade his home world a sad farewell and journeyed towards Tg, where it was decided that he would spend the rest of his life. The world was already improving in condition thanks to the combined efforts of Jurai, Megalopolis, and the twelve Prima Worlds, and with Ryoko and Nagi on the seat of power (as they rightfully should have been), the world would be resuscitated in a decade.

Yet a fifth of that time had barely passed, and the place was already beginning to assume its old glory, and then some. It was now "a suitable place to live", according to galactic homeowner polls, and within eight years, it might have even rivaled Jurai as a lifetime location. Cities sprang up like weeds, shining in the glorious morning sun; the populace increased and slowly began to forget about their previous errors; Ryoko and Nagi began to assume more and more power on their home, even as their marital lives began to blossom.

In the two years that he had been a husband, Tenchi had truly grown to love, honor, cherish, etc. his wives, and vice-versa. His relationship with Ryoko's head servant, Holtz, was something akin to a grandfather-grandson affair, while his standings with Ayeka's father, Emperor Asuza, were strengthening slowly. Ayeka and Ryoko gave him and each other as much of their love as they had (which was a whole lot with those girls), and though there would always be friction between the three, a resolution almost always came the very next day.

As for everybody else, they had been anything but idle. Sure enough, Nagi was finally married not too long ago, though she insisted upon taking most of the two years that had passed to _really_ get to know young Joshua. The decision was never regretted and the wedding was spectacular--and no, no cakes blew up, but only because Washu swore that she would behave herself. Joshua moved to Tg with his new bride, with his sister in tow as well, who claimed that "anyplace was better than where I had been before".

Nagi's partner was married, little surprise, and ghostly rumors of children came to her ears from time to time. Kiyone and Mihoshi were put on permanent posts on the blossoming planet, both of them being placed where their superiors thought they would best perform. Kiyone became one of the heads of security, but Mihoshi was booted out of the force. No worries; her superiors happily directed her to a job she would enjoy more, and to this day, the loveable young blonde is matron of an orphanage for victims of the past war.

Washu's inventions became an integral piece in restoring the planet's structure. Rubble, dust, and debris were cleaned away easier thanks to her devices, and sanitation robots cleaned the streets and roads to make them shine once again. Robot gardeners attended to the dead forests and arboretums, and hovering machines cleaned the polluted air to make it sparkle once again. Sasami went to and from Jurai every year or so, but always managed to hang around long enough to chip in; Ryo-ohki and Ken-ohki had a "wedding" all of their own, and were now "helping" their individual masters out with affairs.

So yes, there was never a better time to live on Tg than now.

Nanette Gizra Stohk, or "Nagi" to those too stubborn to address her any other way, slouched slightly on the throne that had once occupied the bottom of her father Armand. Her boredom was escalating like a stack of neglected papers, and a powerful yawn came out of her mouth for all the world to see. All the refining schools in the world couldn't change her once-uncouth ways, and the same went for Ryoko as well. The two sisters did indeed have a lineage of nobility, but due to living in lawlessness for so long, something had rubbed off.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't get much sleep. Joshua wakes up at the crack of dawn every day, and he makes so much noise that I get up too, and I'm the kind who can't go to sleep once I'm awake."

"It was all for the best," said Holtz. "We're still scrambling every which way to revive this tired old world, and despite the efforts we've put in these past few years, I don't think we'll ever have a day's rest! Ohhh, where can Lady Christina be?"

"Prob'ly out screwin' around with those others," muttered Nagi blandly. Holtz frowned and adjusted his glasses for the ninth time that morning.

"Oh, my! She can play with them later! We have so many affairs of state to get through that we'll _never_ be finished! Ohhh!! …Lady Nanette, would you mind signing a few papers in the stead of your sister?"

"Yeah, why not?" shrugged the one-time bounty hunter. "I'm such a sucker for that girl. Here, what's this one for?"

"The workers from Prima Billignia, the ninth Prima world, have noticed an extremely large crater on the far eastern side of the continent of Grei. They think it would be an excellent place to dumb their excess garbage, since the crater is miles away from any hint of civilization, but they need your authority before they do anything."

"And that land can't be restored?"

"No, milady," replied Holtz. "The entire area is drenched with radiation. Luckily, the team from Megalopolis has been able to seal it off, but the Prima Billignians want to use all that extra space. Comments, milady?" Nagi took a few seconds to think about it. She just wasn't used to diplomacy, or politics, or the economy, or anything "official-sounding".

"…Sure, I'll sign," she murmured. "Why not? If the whole place is radioactive… But how big is the crater?"

"They state that it's large enough to be seen from Tg's neighboring planet, Farswith. It's a shame that there should be such a blight on our beautiful planet…!"

"Oh well, eh?" shrugged Nagi as she signed the paper. "Even the best fruit must have a blemish, eh?"

"…Quite right, milady!" agreed Holtz as he took the signed paper. "…Quite right indeed! Ah, you have inherited your father's wisdom…"

"Don't get all misty on me, old man," chuckled Nagi. "I got that garbage from a fortune cookie. I don't know jack about any of this stupid 'official' business!"

"But look at how marvelously you have been faring up to this point!" exclaimed the old man. "Miss Nanette, the blood of wisdom and nobility flows through your veins, as it does your sister's! Just give it some time to start pumping again, and everything will come naturally!"

"………If you say so, Holtz…"

"Delicious meal, Tenchi!" sang Ayeka as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. The young man smiled with pleasure.

"I'm glad you like it! Sasami taught me how to make that one!" Suddenly, Ryoko let out a terrifying belch. She blushed fiercely, batted her eyelids, and managed an innocent "excuse me!".

"Good Lord Almighty, woman!" exclaimed Ayeka. "Do you _still_ have no manners, even after all this time?!"

"Manners?" parroted Ryoko with even more innocence. "What are these 'manners' you speak of?" Ayeka's eye twitched, and a tiny vein appeared on her forehead.

"…Very funny, you dolt. I'm serious."

"So'm I!" exclaimed Ryoko. "What the heck is a manners?! Tenchi, do you know?"

"I'm not saying anything," he mumbled as he took the tray away. Ryoko smiled at him and blew him a kiss as he left; poor Ayeka felt like braining her dearest chum.

"You are such a pain, and in places much more diverse than simply the neck!"

"I love you too." Ryoko's warm smile was not too affective on the princess, nor was her sudden hug. Ryoko rubbed her nose against Ayeka's cheek, poked her buddy in the ribs several times, and gurgled out some nonsense that best suited the loveable lady.

"Aww, is Ayeka in a bad mood?"

"I really wish you wouldn't do that," snorted the princess as she shoved her friend. Ryoko glared back at the violet-haired woman and produced a mighty raspberry for the princess to enjoy. Ayeka suddenly pinched the outstretched tongue with her fingers and yanked on it until Ryoko groaned for her to stop.

"Is this what they mean by 'hold your tongue'?" sneered the princess triumphantly. Ryoko's glare grew acidic, and a gentle but quick chop to Ayeka's arm released her tongue. Her golden eyes burned with vengeance, and the two "sophisticated" ladies got into yet another one of their morning wrestling matches.

At least this time, Tenchi had a camera with his so he could capture the moment.

"You two stop that!" he shouted as he came back in. "I don't know whether you're doing this out of fun or what!"

"It's all in good fun, babe," insisted Ryoko innocently. Tenchi rolled his eyes in extreme doubt.

"…Yeah, right…" Suddenly, for no reason at all, Ayeka bolted out of the bed and ran straight down the hallway, nearly bowling over several servants in the process. Tenchi could hear the bathroom door being hastily slammed, and gave his wife a confused look.

"…Hm? What was that about?"

"Dunno. I hope she's not mad about what was goin' on earlier. I didn't mean to hurt her or anything." A smile, more scolding than happy, came across Tenchi's lips.

"You're just too uncontrollable for your own good, Christina."

"That's _Ryoko_ to you, my lover," pointed the ex-pirate firmly. Tenchi's serious smile grew less so, but his concern for his other wife grew with it. Ayeka was not one to just suddenly dash off like that without an excuse. Even if she and Ryoko had been fighting for real, she would have screamed or cried or something, but she didn't even utter a sound. Puzzled, Tenchi and Ryoko decided to check up on their loved one, and walked out of the bedroom and to the nearest bathroom, where two eavesdropping ears were placed on the wooden portal.

"Ayeka? You okay, precious?" asked Tenchi. Silence.

"Hey, Ayeka, I'm sorry I was so rough with you earlier!" said Ryoko. "I'm really sorry, I really am!" Silence. A few seconds passed, and the door opened up to reveal a very ill-looking woman. Ayeka's face was pale, and sweat was coming down her brow. Her hair was a mess, even at this hour, and her eyes were a little bloodshot. She wobbled a little as she stood, like if she had been drunk, and a slight smell of nastiness came from her.

"Hey, you don't look so good!" observed a genuinely-concerned Ryoko.

"…Ughnnn… I feel sick," moaned the princess. Tenchi reached forth and held the ill woman in his arms, and looked into her face with more love than ever.

__

In sickness and in health.

"What's the problem, my princess?" he asked of her. Ayeka dizzily wobbled around a little more and groaned.

"Don't… feel too well… Must've been… something I ate earlier… No offense… Tenchi…"

"No, it's okay," he said. "…Uh, uhhh, sh-should we get you to a doctor or something?" Ayeka wearily groaned and swallowed down a bit of her sickness.

"…Uggghh… perhaps… though I feel this may pass once the day gets going…"

"Well, you're definitely not going to do anything strenuous today!" stated Ryoko. "C'mon, princess, you're gonna rest for awhile!"

"But… it's already 9:45... didn't we sleep in enough?"

"Who cares? Don't want the public seeing their beloved princess all messed up like this, now do we?" Ryoko carefully hoisted Ayeka's arm over her shoulder, and Tenchi put her other arm over his, and together the three of them made their way back to the bedroom. Sighing, Ayeka glanced at the two most important to her and managed a smile.

"You… you two are far too good to me…"

"Hey, you deserve it!" insisted Tenchi. "You're a princess, right? …_Our_ princess!" Ayeka smiled as she was being laid to rest.

"Thank you… dear ones… Really…"

A day passed, and Ayeka did indeed feel better come the evening. In fact, the princess attested her earlier sickness to a mere fluke in her system, or perhaps, it truly was something she ate that had irritated her stomach so. That night, Ayeka made sure to eat healthily and to not overwork herself, but come the next morning, she rushed to the bathroom yet again…

And so, a doctor was called to examine her…

Ryoko and Tenchi were forced to wait outside the room as the doctor performed an examination of Ayeka. The waiting room was unnaturally quiet, and so drenched in the color white that it was a little disturbing. There was almost nothing to do in the room, save for reading a few grossly-outdated magazines, and the conversation was at a lull as well, so time went by slowly.

Personally, Tenchi was amazed at the way Ryoko was acting. He had learned long ago that the two girls had wiped their slates clean and were now friends. He knew that they got along well and were unstoppable once they put their resources together. He knew that they had grown especially close in these past few years, mostly during the period where Ryoko had been searching for her roots. He knew they were more than friends now, but still…

The concerned look on Ryoko's face made him feel warm on the inside.

Tenchi scooted in closer to his wife of two years, and took her hand gently. She looked over at him and gave him a quiet and gentle smile, the kind she knew he liked.

"You think she's gonna be okay?" she asked. Tenchi nodded his head.

"Ayeka's the strongest woman I know of. I don't think anything could stop her. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Yeah…" Ryoko's smile and gaze lasted, and the grip she had on Tenchi's hand tightened slightly. He decided to express his love for her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek, whispering his everlasting devotion in her ear. Ryoko shuddered happily and the smile grew even more.

"Tenchi…! I didn't know you liked flirting in public…!" A small blush.

"…Well, I…" Before he could finish his sentence, however, the door to the doctor's room opened and out strolled Ayeka. Not only did she look better than she had that morning, but her face was glowing so brilliantly that one would've needed shades to glance at her. The smile was a mile wide and her crimson eyes brimmed with happiness and ecstasy. Neither Ryoko nor Tenchi knew what to make of it.

"…Well, the doctor must've given you some good news!" exclaimed Ryoko. "Either that, or she gave you _way_ too many drugs!"

"Silly!" giggled Ayeka. "Ryoko, I just want you to know that this happiness is natural, and that not even your childish insults will deter it. But, I am glad that you were concerned about me." The princess' smile was overwhelming; Tenchi was the first to approach her, and with both his hands on her shoulders, he asked her what the doctor had said.

"…Well," said Ayeka with a noticeable blush, "it is definitely good news--not just for me, but for everybody. You, ah, could say that things will, eh, become more lively in the future…" For awhile, nobody knew what the devil she was talking about. But Tenchi, whose chocolate eyes were staring straight into those of the woman he loved, slowly pieced together the puzzle and came up with a surprising deduction.

"…AAAH!!! Ayeka!!! You're pregnant!!!!!"

"AAH!! How did you know?!?!" squealed the princess. Tenchi gave her one of his loveably weak smiles.

"I'm… a pretty good guesser…" Both he and Ayeka shared a giggle, then Tenchi enveloped his lover in his arms and gave her a kiss mixed with love and congratulation. Ryoko, who was slowly realizing what was going on, also let out a squeal as she tackled the princess.

"AAH!! Ayeka, you're really gonna have a baby?!"

"Mm-hm!" Ryoko came extremely close to kissing the joyful woman.

"Oh, WOW!!! That's incredible! …Hey, Tenchi! You're finally a MAN!!!!"

__

KER-PLOP!!!

Poor Tenchi fell over. Ryoko looked down at her husband in amazement and scratched her head.

"…Uh, huh… Well, jeez Ayeka! Pregnant?! Wow, that's awesome!!" Ryoko grinned merrily and leaned over slightly, poking Ayeka's stomach gently. "Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

"Ow, that tickles!" spat the princess, but Ryoko didn't stop. "Ahem! So, ah, dearest of all chums, are you jealous of me?"

"Noooooooo way!" sang Ryoko, who was now slapping Ayeka's belly instead of poking it. "You're gonna have to carry that weight a long time, if you know what I mean!"

"Why you little…!!!!"

Next chapter: I know that was cliché, people, so don't tell me that. If a man and a woman share the same bed for two years, wouldn't you think she'd have a visit from the stork? This is nature, people. …Erm, anyway, I'm so sorry for the long wait, but I've been too busy for words to describe! Hopefully, the next chapter will come shortly, and maybe the baby with it! Next chapter, "No Need for Junior!" It's unquestionably rushed!


	18. No Need for Junior!

XVIII: No Need for Junior!

Sure enough, Tenchi's theory was correct. In just a few short weeks, Ayeka began to show her pregnant state, and in a way where Ryoko could easily insult her girth. But surprisingly, the one-time pirate became a source of comfort and joy to Ayeka, and poured compliments and good words on the princess like never before. The bond between these two very different yet very similar girls grew even tighter, if that were even possible; Tenchi was going through a turbulent time, however.

After breaking the news to everybody, and getting an earful from his overjoyed father, Tenchi settled into the stage where he would play the supportive father-to-be. The nine months of an average woman's pregnancy gave him a hellish and heavenly period of time, one that he both loved and dreaded. It was a wonderful time to live because Ayeka never looked lovelier or smiled sweeter during that time, and friends and family all celebrated the fact that a new life was coming. It was hellish because (as anybody can tell) Ayeka's hormones and mood swings shifted like a razor-tipped pendulum, with poor Tenchi very close to receiving such cuts.

Her eating habits grew…… _interesting._

The nine months drawled on like some stubborn sloth, forcing everyone in such an intimate life to suffer and smile through endless days and weeks. The morning sicknesses came quite often; Ayeka's wardrobe expanded slightly to accommodate her new size (then again, the lady underwent a very strict exercise program during her time of expectancy so she could be prepared for her post-birth body); the food that came into her mouth ranged from the common to the bizarre (think things that would make Sasami, a master chef, turn as green as her hair), and of course, there were those random labor pains.

But darnit, Tenchi was in love with this woman! He and Ryoko became pillars for her, who was once a pillar herself. They treated her with extra-special care, took her out on dinners and dates, and serenaded and partied (respectively) with the purple-haired princess until the sun came up again. But, no matter how slow or fast things went, the pregnancy developed full circle, and on one rather sunny day, Ayeka made the sudden announcement that she, and the baby, were "ready".

Having been prepared for this day for some time (oh, were Tenchi and Ryoko ever prepared!!), the Masaki family rushed to the nearest hospital, which was looking very classy and professional now thanks to the reconstruction efforts. The team of doctors and nurses, who had been expecting Ayeka for some time now, took over and guided the laboring woman straight into the maternity ward. The rest of the gang was there, even Nagi and Holtz, with expectant looks on their faces. Washu, who had "volunteered" to be part of the medical team, snapped on some plastic gloves and waved her fingers in the air.

"Okay, it's that time, people!" she sang. "I want everyone to stay here in this waiting room except for Tenchi and Ryoko. Sorry, Nagi, but you're not immediate family."

"I understand," replied the noblewoman, who looked to be showing a bit herself. Washu carted Ayeka inside the operating room with Tenchi and Ryoko holding her hands, and the three went about the arduous and long task of assisting the mother-to-be with the baby. To the surprise of everyone present, Washu included, the gentlemanly gambler known as Ace Spadehart was there, dressed in full doctor scrubs.

"Hey, no laymen!" shouted Washu. "Doctors only, pal! You'll get your chance when that wife of yours gives birth!" Ace looked at Washu like she had hurt more than his pride, and adjusted his glasses before speaking.

"My dear, dear lady, I am probably more of a doctor than you may ever be."

"…Eh?"

"That is correct," he said firmly. "I have been a licensed practitioner of physiology and medicine for some time now. Gambling will only pay so many bills, mind you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do." Washu bit her lip as the mild-mannered man began his symphony of physiological work, but her doubts were cleared in a moment.

"…All right. I guess I'm gonna need some help here, anyway. Tenchi, Ryoko, just do what I say and you'll be fine. Uhh, you might need to sterilize yourselves and put on some scrubs first……"

----------

Outside in the waiting room, Joshua Horace Fionn blankly stared ahead towards the whitewashed brick wall. One of his hands was gently caressing the fingers and palm of his wife and lover Nagi; the other was clasped coolly by his younger twin sister. A calm and quiet classical tune was playing on the overhead, giving the scene an oxymoronic feel. It had not been five minutes ago when Washu came screaming through that very room like an ambulance, with a very pregnant Ayeka strapped to a bed and Tenchi and Ryoko sprinting after her. Now, though, only silence, and the beautiful and quiet melody.

Nagi, who really was expecting a child sometime in the next eight months or so, rubbed her stomach out of habit and looked at her husband and sister-in-law. It had not been too long ago when _she_ was a bounty hunter herself, but like so many of the people in that "family", she had changed her ways and was now living a more prosperous and respectable life. True to Holtz's words, she had indeed grown to be a fine noble woman over those past nine months, and not just in the sense of hierarchy and class.

"…So," she began, "what do you think they'll name it?"

"I dunno," shrugged Joshua. "If it's a boy, I--"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

"What the heck was that?!" exclaimed his sister Mabel. Nagi shrugged.

"Jeez… poor Ayeka… she must really be in labor…"

"No kidding…" The dark-haired former bounty hunter rubbed her abdomen, thankfully devoid of children, and shuddered at the thought of going through all that pain herself. "Man… sounds like she's going through torture…"

"Just think how Tenchi and Ryoko feel!" exclaimed Joshua. "They're almost helpless in all this! The only thing they can really do now is be there for her…" Mabel smiled faintly, and scooted closer to her brother. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his arm went around her muscular body in supportive comfort.

"You'll do the same for me when it's my turn, right?"

"Hey, you know it!" he grinned. "I'm gonna be the first one who sees that little kid come out! …Well, maybe not, but I'll definitely be there. Say, what were we--"

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Oh yeah! We were talking about what they were gonna name the baby! Nagi, what do you--"

"AAAHHH!!!"

"…what do you think?"

"Well, I--"

"AAAAHHHH!!!!" A pause.

"…I think that--"

"AAHH!!"

"………think that--"

"AAHH!!" A longer pause.

"…I think if it's a boy--"

"AAAAH!! ……AAAHHHHHH!!!!! …AAH!! …AAHH!!!"

"I think if it's a boy--"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"They'll name him--"

"AAHH!!" A pause. That blasted classical music was still playing.

"I think they'll name him--"

"AAHH!!!"

"…Name him--"

"AH!" A pause. Nagi was silenced for a very long time, just to make sure that no more screams would interrupt her.

"…They'll name him--"

"AH!!" A pause.

"……Ahh, forget it!!"

----------

After an exhausting seventeen hours of labor and tireless work, Ayeka finally gave birth to her baby. It was an adorable little boy, cute and just slightly pudgy. It had a blend of violet and brown in its eyes, and though there was almost no hair on the child, what little strands were there made up of a very dark violet color, a result of the breed between Tenchi and Ayeka. The baby was literally a blessing from heaven, and everyone cooed and gurgled at the new life, none more so than the proud parents and aunt.

"Awww!! He's so _cute!!_" squealed Ryoko. She instantly grabbed Tenchi, declaring, "Aww, now _I_ wanna have a baby!"

"But--! Ryoko--!" The intense blush on Tenchi's face made even Washu's hair seem pale, but it faded fast as Ryoko giggled and slapped his shoulders.

"Just kidding, babe! Hahaha!! After what Ayeka went through, I don't think I'll _ever_ have kids!"

"…You… may change your mind, Ryoko," said Ayeka softly as she cradled the baby boy. Washu and Ace smiled proudly, and removed their rubber gloves as they shook hands.

"A brilliant operation, Lady Washu. I could not have accomplished this without your assistance!"

"Yeah… and you were really great, too! We'd make a good pair, Ace!" The gambler/doctor coughed politely and fixed his glasses to hide his flushed face. Meanwhile, the other doctors filed out of the room to alert everyone else of the new baby, leaving the closely-knit Masaki family to hog junior all to themselves.

"So," said Ryoko as she leaned in to get a better view of her nephew, "what'cha gonna name him?"

"I'm not sure…" murmured Ayeka. The ex-pirate grinned that same old reliable "I'm planning for something nasty" grin of hers, and made a suggestion.

"How about Ryoka? That's the male version of Ryoko." A pause. Ayeka actually considered it.

"That's not bad!" noted Tenchi. "Ryoka Masaki…… ehh, no, I dunno…"

"How about… Yosho?" suggested Ayeka. Tenchi smiled and thought about it for awhile.

"Yosho Masaki…… hey, yeah! That's perfect! Yosho Masaki…!" The new father smiled happily, and took his son into his own arms. "Hello there," he said. "My name's Tenchi. I'm your father; did you know that? Your name's Yosho, Yosho Masaki. A lot of people are gonna start calling you that now, Yosho. I hope it's a good name."

"Yosho Ryoka Masaki…" Ryoko mused over the name, and mentally asked Ayeka if it was okay to include her own suggestion in there. Ayeka replied with a quiet smile and nod, and the baby was officially christened.

But deep down inside, unbeknownst to the people in that room, Ryoko had not been kidding when she said that she wanted a baby. No, she had not been kidding at all…

Next chapter: Short and sweet, with just a trace of a cliffhanger. In the next chapter, Ryoko goes into a bit of depression because of her inability to have children. It's true that she has her hands full with running a newly-constructed planet and a new nephew, but maternal longings are going to build up inside the heart of this wild woman. How do you think the others will cope? Can Ryoko get by with a little help from her friends in a game of… _baseball?_ HUH? Am I crazy? Next chapter, "No Need for Depression!" It's unquestionably insane, and so am I!


	19. No Need for Depression!

XIX: No Need for Depression!

Christina Marcella Stohk--or "Ryoko" to a few people--sat quietly on a lawn chair on top of a small hill, basking in the glow of her home world and nursing little Yosho in her arms. The baby was peacefully sleeping, with a cute pacifier in his mouth and a cotton cap over his head. Ryoko couldn't help but love her half-son. Not only was the baby completely adorable and fun to play with, but it was very easy to take care of. It didn't whine or fuss nearly as much as she thought a baby would, and in fact gave her very little grief.

Ever since the baby's birth about a year ago, Ryoko had grown into the habit of taking care of the young boy for her husband and friend. Ayeka had to wean and attend to the infant for the first six months of his life, but more often than not, his was his co-mother Ryoko who played the mother. Tenchi and Ayeka had to admit that having her around was a blessing. Whenever young Yosho woke up in the middle of the night for a feeding or a diaper change, it was usually Ryoko who volunteered to take care of him.

"Oh, it's no problem at all!" she sang to her sleeping loved ones. "I just love taking care of him! Besides, it's not that late at night, and I've got energy to spare! It'll be _fine!!!_"

"Nnnhhh, thank you," Ayeka had whispered. The princess would then snuggle deeper underneath the covers, next to the man she loved, while Ryoko took care of the kid. It really was a pleasure for the once-vile woman, really it was, and she didn't mind doing half of the work herself.

Ryoko had heavily evolved in the past few years. Almost any inclination that she had once been a wild space pirate was gone, and now, there was a whole other person in her place. Ryoko had refined herself into a genuine noblewoman, from the way she acted to the way she handled the increasing responsibilities of her home planet. It was amazing to see her work so diligently and still have enough energy to watch over little Yosho, especially considering there were now at least a hundred servants who could do the job for her.

Ryoko would insist that there were no problems, and that she loved taking care of kids (not nearly as much as Mihoshi, who was the beloved matron of the Tg orphanage), and the servants could concentrate on other matters, and things would go on peacefully. However, nobody knew the true reason behind Ryoko's kind actions, and if they did, they would understand why she hogged Yosho Ryoka Misaki all to herself.

_I wish you were my baby,_ she would sigh mentally. Yosho would smile and gurgle back at her, and the woman would grow just a fraction more despondent. Despite what she had said in previous times, Ryoko honestly and truly wanted to experience motherhood, and while she was patient with the prospect, having to take care of Ayeka's child left a profound effect on her.

If one were to seriously study Ryoko, one would discover several interesting things about her. Put simply and briefly, the woman was now experiencing what it truly felt like to have a family. She was married to a wonderful man that she would forever love, and had an excellent co-wife and friend in Ayeka. Her in-laws ranged from the loveable Nobuyuki and Sasami, to the serious Asuza, to the warmhearted former priest Joshua and his twin sister Mabel--and of course, there was Nagi, her beloved twin sister, and Holtz, who was like a father figure to Ryoko.

It had not been that long ago when Ryoko was a loner, wandering through the galaxy with just Ryo-ohki at her side--and Nagi, on those occasions when the hunter would give chase. Ryoko was indeed cold and lonely for those countless years, and though on the outside she had been a wild and carefree woman, doing as she pleased, on the inside she was screaming. There was nobody, nobody at all, that was there for her when things got bad.

In a strange way, for those first few years, the only people she could rely on were those that hated her the most. Both Ayeka and Nagi, now her closest friends and family, had been powerful enemies of the space pirate, but even this was better than nothing at all. Ryoko could certainly depend on Ayeka or Nagi being there, even if their presence meant discord, trouble, and violence.

Then came Tenchi, and it seemed as if everything fell into place after that. But even then, Ryoko still felt distant, like she didn't belong, and that she was just a nuisance to everybody else. She was, of course, but she was still fiercely loved inside that crazy house--loved so much that Washu had been willing to make great sacrifices to change the pirate's ways. The gamble worked magnificently, and when everything was said and done, Ryoko had found a kindred spirit in a once-antagonistic woman.

After that, things began to roll for the ex-pirate. Nagi revealed herself to be her twin sister, and the girls went on a quest to discover their roots. Their search led them to Tg, to the family they never knew, and the legacy they never imagined. Things continued to roll faster and faster for Ryoko after that: the destruction of Pandemonium, the reestablishment of Tg, the marriage, the baby, the increased family… It was as if all of her wishes were coming true in the span of just a few hours.

"So, I really have a family now, eh?" she said emptily. The baby did not stir, nor did the wind pick up. It was a remarkable day on Tg, the kind that demanded everyone step outside and spend time in revelry. For that particular moment, Ryoko had decided to take Yosho out for a stroll, and it was on this hill where her travels ended up taking her. Tenchi and Ayeka were off on a quiet date, and Nagi was probably off somewhere having the time of her life. It was too good a day to be working, even Holtz knew that.

"You wanna know a secret?" said Ryoko to her half-son. The baby remained asleep. "All right. Don't tell anyone, but I'm really hoping that you get a little brother or sister sometime. You know? I wanna have a baby. Strange, I know, especially since it's coming from me, but I guess that all this time I'm spending with you is having some strange effect on me. It's like my maternal instincts are kicking in, ya know? So, keep that a secret, okay?" The faithful baby remained silent, and would forever thus keep his tongue. Ryoko smiled and kissed him gently.

"Good. Hey, Yosho, we can always tell each other our secrets, you know? We don't have to hide anything from each other. You're not my biological son, but it feels like you're still a part of me. ……I guess… Ayeka and Sasami feel the same about Funaho, maybe. Ahh, who knows?" Snorting, Ryoko didn't notice Yosho waking up. The baby opened his eyes, gurgled, and looked straight at his surrogate mother.

"Hm? You wanna go somewhere else?" said Ryoko, sensing the child's needs. She slowly picked the baby up and put him back in his stroller. Smiling warmly, Ryoko flew into the air with the baby and stroller with her, and carried them both to the manor. Perhaps--just perhaps--she needed some time away from the little boy. Ryoko loved the child to death, but even she needed some vacation time. Besides, she needed to have a talk with somebody.

Joshua Fionn was sprinting as fast as he possibly could, but even then, his wife Nagi was closing in on him. Shouting something along the lines of "you can't outrun Nagi, the greatest bounty hunter in the universe!", she was giving chase to the one she loved, and though the race looked fiercely competitive, both of them were laughing out loud. Finally, Nagi leaped forward and tackled her love, sending both of them tumbling and rumbling to the floor. Nagi fiercely locked her hands over Joshua's wrists, successfully pinning the strong man to the floor.

"Ha! I gotcha!" she snarled with glee. He smiled warmly at her, and at the precarious position they were now in.

"Yeah, you got me all right. But what're you gonna do with me?"

"Have my way with you, of course--like all my prey," said Nagi coolly, tapping his nose with her finger. Joshua's face turned slightly pink.

"…Here? Now?"

"Sure, why not?"

"But, we're outside, Nanette! People will _see_ us!!"

"It's too nice of a day to go inside!" Nagi sighed, and slumped down so she could be within the embrace of her loved one. She turned around so he could fold his hands over her stomach, the way she liked best, and together, the two lovers stared up into a sky more blue and pure than sapphires.

"Hey," came a voice from above. Nagi squinted in the sun and smiled as she saw her twin sister approach them. The taller woman waved aimlessly and did her best to sit up.

"What's up, sis?"

"I'm not interrupting anything now, am I?" asked Ryoko cattily. Nagi chuckled and managed to hide her crimson face.

"Nahh. We weren't doing anything, just having fun. It's nice to relax and let loose on days like this."

"Yeah… Hey, speaking of which, can I ask you two for a favor?"

"Sure, name it!" said Joshua. Ryoko presented them with Yosho.

"Could you take care of him?" she requested. "I'm getting a little tired and I need a break, and besides, you two might need to brush up on your parenting skills. With the way you frolic around like that, I'm surprised you're not expecting already!" Nagi's face submitted to blushing, and the taller of the twins smiled humbly before speaking.

"Well… we've been taking things slow," she said gently. "Josh and I are just enjoying this time to ourselves. We will have children, but not for awhile. But hey, I'd be more than happy to look after this little one for you!" Ryoko smiled and handed her half-son over to her sister, and the one-time bounty hunter tickled little Yosho playfully.

"Hey there, little guy! Remember me? I'm your Aunt Nagi! Can you say _NAGI_ for me?"

"He can't talk yet," said Ryoko, "unless you consider 'boo' and 'baa' words."

"Nahh, didn't think so." The sisters smiled as the reigns of babysitter were passed from one to the other, and with a wave, Ryoko left her family for some much-needed private time. Her aim was for Tenchi and Ayeka; the three of them had not spent that much time together, what with business and a baby to take care of, so it would do the noblewoman good to spend time with those she loved.

Over the course of that month, Ryoko's "maternal instincts" grew more and more powerful, until they would come out even during Yosho's absence. Ryoko would grow sad and depressed, and would oftentimes mope around when there was little to do. She would get into the habit of instinctively going after the baby if he so much as moaned a little, even if Ayeka insisted that the problem was hers to solve. Finally, after a few weeks of this, Ryoko confessed to Tenchi that she had not been telling the truth that day, and that her biological clock was blaring out loud.

When they asked a good doctor if there were any problems, he insisted that there weren't any. There was nothing wrong with Tenchi, and Ryoko should have been able to produce, so the only explanation the doctor could give was that it all had to do with timing. Now obviously, it was a bit embarrassing to talk about one's business in bed, so everything was left up to assumption until Ryoko could speak more privately.

"It's just a simple solution," she said. "Tenchi needs to spend, eh, a little more time with me, if you know what I mean."

"Do you really want children that badly?!" exclaimed Ayeka. Ryoko gave her closest and most loyal friend a serious look.

"Yes, I do. Ayeka, I know I'm sounding selfish here, but…… ever since I found out that Nagi was my real sister, I've had this idea of a family in my mind. I already have a husband and a sister and more in-laws than I dare count, but… well, I want to make this… _real_, ya know? I don't know how else I can explain it, it just…" She trailed off and sighed, and received a gentle hug from Tenchi.

"I think I understand," he told her. Ryoko smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You're too good to me, Tenchi."

"You deserve it," he whispered in her ear. Ryoko shivered and giggled, and it was said that the young man could always find some way to cheer her up. Ayeka sighed wearily at the two, and gave her dearest friend a stern look.

"Ryoko… you know that I would do anything for you, dear. …And, I suppose, I really have been spending too much time with Lord Tenchi, but that is perhaps because _you_ spend so much time with our child! Honestly, dear, if you didn't hog poor Yosho so much, you might actually have a child of your own by now!"

"Oh, yeah…" muttered Ryoko with a watery smile. Both Tenchi and Ayeka gave their eyes a mighty roll.

"Silly," teased Tenchi as he nibbled on her ear. Ryoko shrieked out again and slapped him playfully, and poor Ayeka had to leave or else vomit from all the sweet sugariness of the moment.

One fine day, when Ryoko's depression was at a particular neutral state, the entire assemblage of family and friends that she loved so much decided to cheer her up, even if it killed them. Ryoko was grateful, but didn't know how in the world they could pull off something like that. When Tenchi explained it to her, she did indeed laugh, though not in amusement.

"You're kidding, right?!" she shrieked. "A _baseball_ game?!?!"

"Yeah! That always makes me feel happy!" Ryoko shook her head and gave her lover a dim smile.

"I don't even know how to play! I'm not gonna have any fun!"

"Oh, that doesn't matter!" he scowled, hugging her neck fiercely like she used to do to him. "Trust me, I'm about the only person here who knows how to play! But Ryoko, please say you'll go along with this. We're only doing this to make you happy. You know that each and every one of us loves you very much, and that we'd do anything to see you smile." Ryoko couldn't help but do just that as she gazed at the young man, and a tear almost came out as he expressed such devotion. The woman pulled him in for a delicate hug, and rubbed her cheek against his.

"Oh, Tenchi… you really are too good to me…"

"Only because you deserve the best," he replied. The young man kissed her gently, and pointed his head to the outside world. "C'mon, get dressed. Everyone else is already getting prepared. C'mon, it'll be fun! We don't get too many chances to do this sort of thing!!" Ryoko smiled, too happy to do anything else, and nodded her head in agreement.

"All right. For you, Tenchi, and for those that love me, I would do anything."

"Anything?" She grinned and gave him a classical Ryoko-brand thumbs up.

"You know it!!!"

Sure enough, by the time Ryoko and Tenchi changed into their uniforms, the rest of the gang was already outside waiting. It was a riot to see Ayeka and Nagi dressed up in baseball outfits, complete with caps and cleats, but Holtz as the umpire beat them all out. Since there were only nine people there, excluding Washu, it was decided that the teams would be divided up into four--unless the two cabbits got in on the action.

"Outfield?!" blurted a disbelieving Nagi. Ken-ohki nodded his head.

"Choww!!"

"You sure? Does Ryo-ohki agree with you?"

"Mreaow!" squealed Ryo-ohki. Nagi sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay, okay, you two can be on outfield. Oh, hey Ryoko! Tenchi! Looks like you two made it just in time!"

"Whaddya mean?" asked Ryoko, who had just came onto the diamond. "Isn't this whole thing just for me?"

"Yeah."

"So I could've been an hour early or an hour late, and it wouldn't make any difference!" Nagi smiled smugly and tipped her cap, but chose to make no comment. Ayeka, however…

"Would you please get on with it?!" she shouted. "I would very much like to whip my opposing team into submission and have them beg for mercy!"

"Sounds fun!!" squealed Ryoko. "Can I be on your team? Nobody would stand a chance against us!"

"Sounds good!" stated Ayeka, and the two one-time enemies shook on it. Tenchi, however, chose to be on the opposing team, to the surprise of literally everybody there.

"Just to even the odds a little," he said slyly. "I wouldn't want things to go too unfairly." Ayeka and Ryoko protested, but Tenchi insisted that he be on that very team. Nagi and Joshua were also on that same team, but to "even the odds", Mihoshi was placed there as well. With a sigh of relief, Ryoko and Ayeka smiled at each other.

"This should be easier than swatting flies!" exclaimed the princess. "Even with your sister and brother-in-law on their side, Mihoshi will ruin everything! So, who do we have to work with?"

"Just Kiyone and Sasami," replied Ryoko. Ayeka nodded her head.

"Right. …I think those are pretty fair odds. So, who's on first?"

"What."

"I said, who's on first!" repeated Ayeka.

"What!" repeated Ryoko.

"Who… is… on… first?"

"What!"

"Enough of your games!" shouted Ayeka. She sighed, and calmed down just long enough to regain her civility. "…Fine. Lady Christina, can you tell me who's going to be on second?"

"Yes," she replied.

"All right then. Who is it?"

"Yes," she said again. Steam came out of Ayeka's ears."

"Can you _please_ tell me who is on second?!"

"Okay, Who is on second!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU!!!"

"And I'm telling you, Who is on second!"

"Enough!!" Ayeka's scream reached the very ends of the outfield, where Ryo-ohki and Ken-ohki were staring back in awe. The princess slowly calmed down, and tried one more time.

"…All right, have it your way. Just tell me who's going to play third base."

"Where," replied Ryoko.

"Third base!" pointed Ayeka. "Who's going to play third base?"

"No, Who's on second," replied Ryoko. Ayeka's anger increased.

"That is what I want to know!! Who is on second and third?!"

"No-no-no, Who can only be on one base at a time," pointed Ryoko. "Who is on second, Where is third, and What is on first."

"YOU ARE BEGINNING TO ANNOY ME, LADY RYOKO!!!" roared Ayeka. "Tell me in simple terms!! WHAT are the NAMES of the PEOPLE who are going to PLAY for the BASES!?!"

"…I think I understand now," said Ryoko carefully. "What is the name of the person on first."

"That's what I'd like to know!!"

"Who is the name of the person on second."

"Use proper grammar, Ryoko!!"

"Where is the name of the person on third."

"It's not supposed to be lost!!" screamed Ayeka. She let out an irritated growl, yet somehow managed to keep her royal anger in check as she asked one final question. "…Dare I ask who the pitcher is?"

"I don't know," replied Ryoko. Ayeka let out another groan and slumped down on the ground.

"You don't know… You don't even know who's the pitcher?!"

"Who's on second," replied Ryoko. Ayeka's face turned white from rage.

"THAT IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO ASK YOU!!!!!"

"Ayeka!!!" shouted Nagi suddenly. The former bounty hunter walked over to her friend and managed to calm the enraged girl down. "Get a grip! What's the problem?"

"Your nitwit of a sister won't tell me who's playing the positions of the game!!" screamed Ayeka. Nagi gave Ryoko a sour look.

"Ryoko, are you picking on poor Ayeka again?"

"No, I'm telling her what she wants to know! I'm not being mean at all!"

"What's she telling you, Ayeka?" asked Nagi. The princess groaned in frustration.

"Well, when I asked her who was on first, she didn't seem to hear me. She couldn't give me a straight answer for second, and she doesn't even know where the third base is, or who the pitcher is!"

"Oh, is that all?" said Nagi doubtfully. The look Ayeka gave her would have melted the sun. "Yikes! Whoa, sorry there, princess! But hey, maybe I can make things clear for you!"

"Can you? Would you?! I hope rudeness isn't genetic in your family."

"HEY!!"

"Quiet," hissed Nagi. "You've been naughty enough, Ryoko. Go assemble your team or something. Anyway, Ayeka, the thing goes as this. 'What' is the name of the person on first. That's their name, What, and 'What' is their name." A pause.

"…Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Yeah, now you're getting it!" smiled Nagi. "And 'Who' is the name of the person on second. 'What' is the name of the person on third, and 'I don't know' is the name of the pitcher. Do you understand now?"

"…I believe so," said Ayeka. "But, we don't have anybody here by that name!"

"It was just a joke, highness," chuckled Nagi. "It was just Ryoko being silly with you. I saw that same deal on an old television comedy sketch, and I guess it's not funny to the person that never heard of the joke before. Sorry. Should I go have a talk with her?"

"…No," sighed Ayeka wearily. "I'll just have to be mean to her for awhile. That wasn't a very good joke." Nagi smiled, but nodded her head anyway.

"Yeah. Anyway, for this inning, it's Mihoshi on first, Joshua on second, and myself on third. Tenchi is pitching."

"Why didn't she say so before?!" whined Ayeka. Nagi laughed out loud, and leaned forward to give her friend a hug.

"Because," she said, "Ryoko has a very strange way of expressing her love towards you."

"Yes, so I've noticed…"

The game moved rather swiftly for having so many people who were inexperienced in the sport. Tenchi and his crew played a powerful game, despite having Mihoshi on their side, and were able to step up to bat after having Ayeka's team score only three times. The four of them quickly racked up several good points, but Mihoshi struck out every time, and soon the first inning was over.

This back-and-forth operation went on through most of the day. Tenchi was a better-than-average pitcher, and was able to strike out Ayeka and Sasami with almost no trouble at all. Kiyone was simply average in the sport all the way around, and made her fair share of hits and misses, but it was Ryoko who stole the game. Some said that Tenchi allowed her to hit so many home runs, and that it was fixed because she needed the relaxation, but this was mostly untrue. Ryoko simply knew how to swat things, that was all.

Kiyone was a good pitcher, and could even strike Tenchi out if luck was on her side. Ayeka and Ryoko were not good basewomen, even if they did decide to work together, and Sasami was not too spectacular either. Both Nagi and Joshua were inexperienced but powerful, in both hitting and running, and racked up points that went down the drain thanks to Mihoshi.

"There is no crying in baseball!" insisted Kiyone whenever her partner struck out. Of course, Mihoshi would only blubber some more, which resulted in the aqua-haired officer becoming more enraged, etc.

The tide of the game turned when Washu arrived with some of her machines. Carefully, the scientist placed them all across the outfield, giving them positions that had been compensated-for due to the lack of players. She also assigned herself to the losing team, which was Ryoko's in this case. Washu couldn't hit the Rock of Gibraltar with her baseball, but having such intellect, she didn't _need_ to. Her bat had a secret homing device that drew the ball in to it, and but one whack repelled it back again.

The game soon grew to ridiculous and insane proportions, what with Washu's inventions and the way the cabbits always turned into spaceships. Every inning grew even wackier than the one that preceded it, and by the eleventy-first inning, nobody could say who was winning or losing--or even who was on what _team_ anymore.

"The score's 13-R-52-J to sixteen billion and five," noted Washu as she cradled the ball in her glove. Ryo-ohki was at the mound, looking incredibly adorable wielding a small bat and in her miniature baseball uniform. The cabbit let out a meow, and struck the ball outside the field as it was tossed to her.

"Quick! Skip to first base! Then tackle the pitcher and wrestle them to the ground! Dig your way to second, then you'll have to answer the bridge keeper three questions before you can cross the bridge of death, and then you're at third! Run backwards to home plate, punch the umpire, and you've won!!!"

A pause.

"Mreaow?" questioned the cabbit.

"JUST GO!!!!" screamed Washu, and little Ryo-ohki was skipping along her way. Just then, Mihoshi walked towards Washu with that same empty look in her eyes.

"Hey, Washu? What's this?" she asked. Washu's eyes twitched as she saw that Mihoshi was in possession of the baseball.

"…That's the ball," she pointed.

"Oh really? Wow! What do I do with it?!"

"You eat it," muttered Washu sarcastically. Mihoshi looked at the ball in her usual strange fashion, and slowly opened her mouth…

"I WASN'T SERIOUS, MIHOSHI!!! D'GGAAAHAH!! Does anybody know the Heimlich maneuver?!"

Tenchi sighed as he plopped onto the ground. After playing a very crazy game of baseball through the entire day, he was completely wiped out. Happiness was even stronger in his body, though, and he couldn't boast of a time that he had had so much fun. Just then, Ryoko joined him, smiling in that same mischievous yet warm fashion.

"Well, looks like we won," she noted. Tenchi smiled.

"Yeah… but which team?"

"Both of them," she replied. Tenchi laughed out loud, and stood up to give his love a hug she deserved. The embrace was happily returned, and even multiplied, once Ayeka and Nagi and everyone else crowded around Ryoko. They lifted her up in the air like she had won the game, and cheered for her as they carried her away.

"Wow, this has been the perfect end to the most wonderful day ever!!" she exclaimed. "I consider myself… the luckiest woman… on the face… of the Earth! Only one thing could make this day go better!"

"What's that?" asked Tenchi over the shouting. Ryoko gave him one of her more devious looks.

"If we have sex."

"Huh?"

__

KER-PLOP!!!

Tenchi fell straight to the ground in a plummeting faint, twitching ever so slightly. Apparently, Ryoko's honesty was a bit too…… _blunt_ for him.

"…Whoops!" chuckled the noblewoman as she scratched her neck. "Hehehe… I guess he keeled over from happiness!"

__

KER-PLOP!!!

Everybody, literally everybody, followed Tenchi's example by plummeting to the floor in a gigantic heap, leaving a bewildered Ryoko the only one left standing. The loveable woman chuckled again, and smiled to the very skies.

"Hehehe… I guess I have that kind of affect on people, hehehe…!"

Next chapter: Ahh, the conclusion. What was started in "Nagi: The Lonely Path of the Hunter" and subtly continued in "No Woman is an Island" must now come to an end. That's right, readers--the next chapter is the final, final, final one. It's the last chapter in this great and immense saga, so be prepared to say goodbye. But… how in the world am I going to conclude all of this?! Only one way to find out, in the next chapter, "No Need for a Conclusion!" It's unquestionably the last chapter!


	20. No Need for a Conclusion!

XX: No Need for a Conclusion!

Chaos.

That's the only way he could really describe it.

No other word would do the situation justice.

Just… chaos.

The only thing Tenchi could really do was just stand there like a fool on a hill, and watch as the chaos overcame him. He was thankfully free from the disaster area down below, but even from his high vantage point, he could easily hear the screaming, shouting, and cursing, from the events below. He had thought things would change over the years, but it seemed as if the strange cycle only continued on, into the future. The carnival, it seemed, was going into overtime.

In the year that had passed since Tenchi held a baseball game in Ryoko's honor, so many things had happened that 'chaos' truly was the only was to describe it. Twelve months ago, Ryoko's barren state was finally lifted, and the girl became pregnant as per her wish. But, interestingly enough, Ayeka also grew to expect another child, resulting in twice the trouble for Tenchi. Two babies born in the same proximity to each other--what a hassle!

And that wasn't even the icing on the cake! It seemed that _Nagi_ had caught the stork by the bill as well, and was expected to give birth around the same time as her sister and friend! Joshua was in just as much of a tizzy as Tenchi was, so the following nine months would help contribute to all of the disasters. Not only that, but all of Tg seemed to boom and burst into so much prosperity that the twin sisters it gave birth to never seemed to have a dull moment on their hands.

Ayeka, Tenchi, and Joshua helped their loved ones as much as possible, although having three pregnant women running around the place, full of hormones and bizarre eating habits, was not a pretty sight. To make things even more terrifying, Washu began to "contribute" to the cause in her own idiom, which was chaotic enough on its own. Add all that to the fact that Kiyone was running herself weary from so many duties, while Mihoshi was being burdened by demands of her own. As the world began to thrive and revive, more and more people were thinking of adopting children, and they would all have to go through Mihoshi to get them.

Tenchi managed to keep a reasonably cool head through these horrific nine months, but it felt like the Apocalypse, Doomsday, Ragnarok, and Armageddon were all happening on the same day as Ayeka, Ryoko, and Nagi were rushed to the hospital. Washu was there to guide them through the whole thing, again, though the place ended up turning into a gigantic circus, what with doctors and nurses scrambling from woman to woman, all the while keeping Washu at bay so no more disasters would come.

Peace rolled over and continued to sleep as anarchy and havoc reigned supreme. The simultaneous screams of three women each in labor was like a Hellish chorus, one that neither Tenchi nor Joshua wished to repeat again. The day reached an indescribable climax of catastrophic proportions once the babies arrived, but for a few solid minutes, there finally was a moment of silence and serenity.

It didn't last.

Ryoko's first child was a girl, sweet and adorable and as fussy as the woman that birthed her. She was named Anya, after her grandmother, and although she granted Ryoko's wish for a child, the little one was more than a handful for the woman that gave her life. Poor Tenchi now had two kids to deal with--no, _three_. Ayeka bore him a daughter as well, naming her Marcella Masaki, and Tenchi's troubles were multiplied. Joshua was not safe either: Nagi bore him _twins_, one a boy (Bram, after her adopted father) and one a girl (Ryoko), so he was not safe either.

So now, one could see why there was chaos in the land. Not only were there now a total of _five_ babies to look after, but things were growing rampant among the older people as well. Now, a mere three months after the simultaneous births of the babies, things were looking more violent than ever. Ayeka and Ryoko were screaming at each other like they had done in the old days, and poor Sasami was being pestered by everybody, including two carrot-hungry cabbits.

Kiyone was running everywhere at such a speed, trying to balance her paperwork and the part-time job as a babysitter for her friends; Mihoshi found out that there was no need for a rush, even though she had her own juvenile problems. Mixed in with the orphanage children and the babies of her friends, it was a miracle she didn't have a gray hair already.

As usual, something was blowing up whenever Washu was involved, so that contributed to the mess. Nagi and her husband were each taking care of their children, with Holtz moaning about how his duties did not usually include being a babysitter. The dear old man was the official caretaker of all five babies whenever the gang had to rest or if there was business to attend to, so needless to say, absolutely everybody was busy.

Tenchi, who had stolen a few moments for himself, took that time to simply gaze down at the insanity below. Sure, he was going to be forever burdened by his three children, as well as the duties that concerned a noble of Tg or a royal of Jurai. Sure, Ayeka and Ryoko were back to squabbling with each other again, and Sasami was pressured too much, and the cabbits were being naughty (with the possibility of their _own_ children on the way).

Sure, Kiyone was stressing herself out and wearing herself thin, and Mihoshi was being pulled in fifteen different directions. Sure, Washu was a hassle and a half, the dear lunatic, and of course her inventions blew up every day, or more. Sure, there was a former bounty hunter amongst them who had turned into a mother, and her husband who was desperately trying to find the right line of work for them all. Sure, there were a lot of messes down there, and a lot of chaos, and a lot of endless confusion and complete insanity down there, amongst the pandemonium.

But Tenchi wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite the screaming, and the explosions, and the confusion down below, Tenchi couldn't help but sigh with happiness and relief.

Everything was back to abnormal.

**__**

THE

END


End file.
